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04/23/2013

We hope and encourage all eligible voters here in Massachusetts to Vote this coming Tuesday April 30th for Stephen Lynch for US Senator.

As we watched the TV democratic senatorial debate Monday night on WBZ we watched hoping we would get life even a spark out of someone in this so boring a campaign, and in our opinion we thankfully did. Stephen Lynch was clearly the winner as the Democratic Independent voice that we need in Washington DC., Lynch constantly put Ed Markey on the spot for his far left extremist votes against Homeland Security. Ed Markey, who has spent his entire adult life in politics and about 30 years now in Congress, runs on the strict party line, still blaming Bush for everything. No wonder he’s the poster child who was handpicked by the Democratic Party bosses and elitist down in Washington DC. that has chosen Markey as the heir to Sen. Kerry’s vacant seat. We hope the people and voters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a whole vote this coming Tuesday for Stephen Lynch.

You may not agree with us, but we think that our best chance to get things moving down in Washington is to send a message that the elitist democratic bosses doesn’t hand pick and decide who can run in Massachusetts, the voters will decide. We think Stephen Lynch is the real deal, a family man who was brought up like most of us, poor and although we might not have known it, we worked hard for what we have, and so didn’t Stephen Lynch. Stephen, grew up in the projects of South Boston, was a union worker for 18 years and you’ve seen the commercials he attended Law school nights and works hard every day to represent his district. Just like our own Congressman and former Mayor Mike Capuano doesn’t forget where he comes from, neither does Cong. Stephen Lynch who still lives in South Boston and is home here in the district every week and knows how and what we feel. We hope and encourage that you go out and Vote this coming Tuesday, it’s not going to be a crowd at the polls, maybe take you about 10 minutes out of your way, but this election is crucial to all of us in Massachusetts. Vote Stephen Lynch for US Senator and we will have a strong voice and independent one when it pertains to issues of our state and city, first. We proudly say and stand that we here in the commonwealth agree with his commercials "I am Stephen Lynch" and "we are Stephen Lynch".

04/07/2013

“I agree with President Obama’s goal of ensuring that Social Security will be there for our current retirees, as well as future generations. But chained CPI would limit cost of living adjustments for retirees, and hurt seniors who must pay for costly medical care. We simply cannot increase the cost burden for seniors.

The President's budget is a starting point, and I'm eager to work with him and my colleagues in Congress to pass a budget that addresses these problems the right way.

As I discussed last month, I believe we must focus on the way Social Security is funded. In 1983, 90% of wages in this country were subject to the Social Security tax. As a result, this critical safety net was on more solid footing. But despite an explosion in wages for the wealthiest 1% of Americans over the last 30 years, funding for Social Security has not kept pace. We have been raising the cap in small increments, but it’s not enough. The Chief Actuary of Social Security estimates that, to get back to the 90% rates we had under President Reagan, the cap should be raised to $214,500. Until we get that cap up, the burden for funding Social Security will continue to fall disproportionally on the middle class and lower income earners.

Chained CPI won’t help working people. Getting funding levels back to where they were 30 years ago will help ensure that the promise of Social Security can be kept for future generations.”

QUINCY – Congressman Stephen Lynch said today that he was proud to have the support of United Steel Workers Local 12003 members in Massachusetts.

“Local 12003 has been tremendous in their support of me,” Lynch said. “The men and women of USW are on the ground here in Massachusetts, and have been working on my behalf since this campaign began. They know I will stand with them in the United States Senate.”

“As members of the United Steel Workers, we are proud to stand with Steve Lynch,” said Joe Kirylo, president of USW 12003, the largest gas local in New England. “Our local endorsed Elizabeth Warren before the USW, and this time we know Steve Lynch is the guy. We are here on the ground seeing the work he has done locally. Steve Lynch knows where we come from, and he is the guy who can best represent us in the Senate.”

BOSTON – Thursday, April 4, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today responded to the Joint House and Senate Leadership transportation proposal, making clear that the proposal does not meet the immediate or long-term needs of the Commonwealth. The Governor discussed how together, with the Legislature, the Administration has built a track record of reforms and policies that will leave a stronger Commonwealth for future generations, and that he cannot support this bill, as is, which puts off necessary investments in our transportation and education system.

Remember back to 2008 when a gallon of gasoline hit $ 4.00? Well, it’s happening again. Today, a barrel of crude is trading for about $ 106.00, that’s about equal to the annual average back just four years ago. This translates into significantly higher costs for gasoline, diesel, and home heating fuels for each of us.

Energy costs are on the rise once again!!

At the pumps the average price for mid-grade gasoline is $ 3.79 a gallon. Running diesel in your vehicle? It could cost as much as $ 4.20. If you’re heating the homestead with oil, a 100 gallon minimum fill at $370.00 is so pain full that when the oilman drops the slip in your mail slot it causes a chill to run up your spine! A gallon of regular gas for your car runs about even with a gallon of home heating fuel oil at $ 3.70 a gallon.

No matter what the case, it’s getting more expensive to get to work, heat hot water, or keep your home warm. Even our electric bills, and groceries, will suffer an increase due to the fuel surcharges in the near future.

Everyone recognizes that affordable energy is the main driver of the worlds’ industry. What a way to put the “kibosh” on a recovering economy.

The $64,000.00 question is………….. WHY?

The oil market supply appears to be somewhat stable. We won the war in the Middle East and paid the price with American blood. You remember the food for oil program policy with Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Well, the Bush administration sold us the blood for oil policy. However, we literally got the shaft, not the oil.

So, why is this happening to the U.S.? Were we duped? YOU DECIDE.

In any regard, it’s fruitless to assess the blame for higher fuel costs on any single particular reason including political inadequacy. Let’s fast forward to today before I become ill.

Who, or what may be the culprit for these spikes in Americas’ fuel prices, is irrelevant. More importantly, we need to understand the variables within the issue. How can individuals help reignite stability in the market?

First, there are certain facts that need be recognized as fundamental truths. To fully discuss each and every aspect of this complicated issue in less than one thousand words is impossible. Without a doubt, most tempers won't allow the long read on this matter! Let us try to simply and ‘cut to the chase’ capturing the main theme.

Many Americans vent their anger upon the major oil producing countries, referred to as OPEC. This acronym stands for the ‘Organization for thePetroleum Exporting Countries’. The organization is comprised of 12 countries, mainly located in the Middle East. The organizations’ leaders meet twice a year in Vienna, Austria, to discuss their strategy within world oil market.

OPEC’s main objective is to determine the volume of the ‘supply side’ crude oil market for the next year. By keeping the market slightly ‘choked off’, it keeps the price of the ‘black gold’ highly stable, and valuable.

It should be noted, that OPEC only speaks for approximately 50% of the worlds’ crude. Other nations, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, the U.S. and many others, make up the difference in production of the world crude oil supplies.

Remember, OPEC does not set the daily market price. However, if OPEC is placing limitations on production, does this cause the price to climb?

The ’supply side’ economic theory impacts the full market. Americans should ponder the question……. Is the United States winning the incidental costly physical battles of the world, only destined to lose the larger economic war?

In the next segment, we continue the discussion on the expanding oil market in China, a weakened US Dollar, and role of the European Union in this picture.

Bill Dyer of Cubby Oil Company

THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

In the first segment, of this outline, we laid a foundation of how ’supply side’ economics impacts the full market. This next piece shall attempt to outline the evolution of the new world energy market.

Why does the United States continue to unilaterally financially support the costly physical battles throughout the world and protect the foreign oil market??

Should we possibly modify our foreign policies to blend within this new introduction, of the EU, China, India, and the Middle East, and discontinue playing the role of the ‘big brother’?

Let’s refocus on the main issue of change within the marketplace. It may help us answer all of those questions. Fossil fuels are sold on the open world market. Oil is traded in the term of ‘barrels’. The price is mainly set by three of the largest stock exchanges in the world. They are the New York, London, & the Singapore stock exchanges.Remember, it’s a commodity traded daily, so the price constantly fluctuates.

Add into the stew a quick note about the role of something called ‘oil futures’ in the game. These are a sort of ‘wild card’. Oil future contracts hedge an investors bet within the market place. Like a Las Vegas long shot, such a wager can handsomely pay out to the investor. Some believe this type of oil guessing game should be illegal. It’s no secret, oil futures can cause havoc in the market place by falsely inflating the commodity with an aurora of an ‘artificial demand’.

The open market is also affected by world many conditions. Occasionally, a catastrophe like the British Petroleum accident in the gulf, severe weather events, conflict in the oil producing regions, or just plain Wall Street greed, can upset the marketplace by choking supply lines.

Today, the benchmark currency for trading in the oil market has always been the U.S. dollar. Due to the weakening value of the U.S. dollar there have been numerous discussions to tie the international oil market into another currency such as the Euro. However, this idea has yet to sell well! Unfortunately, the European Community is also struggling within the re-stabilization scene of the worlds’ economy. In addition, the EU has complicated financial issues within Greece, Italy, & Spain.

Plus, don’t forget that for decades the Europeans have been paying dearly for energy.They well understand the high cost of energy. For instance, today a gallon of petrol in the U.K is roughly $ 6.25. Now compare this to the price of $ 3.60 for an equal gallon in Boston, MA.

The U.S. dollar still appears to be crude oils’ safest bet on world trading table. Once the U.S. deficit is under control the energy roller coaster ride may even out.

Let’s keep going adding a little salt. Complicate this stew with China in the marketplace. Only a few decades ago, the Chinese used bicycles and rickshaws on dirt paths…….. using little energy. China has nearly completed the largest highway system in the world. It has accomplished this great feat in less than 20 years, less than half the time the U.S. took to build our interstate highway system. What happens once the general billion plus population starts buying automobiles to use those roads? This new major market demand factor has yet to be fully entered into the equation.

China, once the 5th largest consumer of energy, is now it is just behind the United States in energy consumption. With all its economic growth China will soon to surpass the U.S. position of causing world energy costs to skyrocket out of control.

China is a major player in this mess.

We all studied economics 101. Some of us may have slept during the main portion of the course. However, we all seem to remember the basic principles of ‘supply & demand’ side commodity economics.

What happens once we calculate the high demand of a new player, namely China? Is the energy market headed for the ultimate crash?

Maybe Americans should listen to the Bob Marley song, “Don’t worry… be happy”, while paying $ 7.50 a gallon for gasoline.

Sorry, its’ not doing it for me!!!

Houston we have a problem, but all is not lost. In the final segment, we can start the discussion on a potential first step fix.

HOLYOKE – Thursday, April 4, 2013 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today toured the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home to highlight the Patrick-Murray Administration’s continued commitment to supporting Massachusetts veterans. Lieutenant Governor Murray was joined on today’s visit by Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) Secretary Coleman Nee for a meeting with Superintendent Paul Barabani and Board Chair Steve Como, followed by a tour of the facility.

“Massachusetts is proud to support and honor all of our veterans,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, Chair of the Governor’s Council on Veterans’ Services. “The Holyoke Soldiers’ Home provides critical services for veterans throughout western Massachusetts and we’re committed to working with them and all providers to ensure veterans receive the high quality care and benefits they deserve.”

Governor Deval Patrick’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget includes an increase in funding by nearly 7 percent for veterans’ services and 3.3 percent for the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. Last month, Governor Patrick also filed a capital supplemental bill and a series of multi-year bond bills that will support the FY2013-2017 Capital Investment Plan. The plan continues the Patrick-Murray Administration's efforts to grow jobs and economic opportunity through strategic investments in the Commonwealth's infrastructure. If passed by the legislature, the Administration will have the authorization to consider funding future projects at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. All projects would be eligible for federal funding matches of 65 percent if approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and DVS are beginning a study to be completed in 2013 which will consider all options for potential renovations and expansion of services.

"I am proud to be part of an Administration that leads the nation in its support of those who serve our country," said EOHHS Secretary John Polanowicz. "The Patrick-Murray Administration has consistently made veterans and military families a priority, as exhibited in Governor Patrick’s budget, in which veteran’s services would see an increase in funding to ensure that every generation of Massachusetts’ veterans has access to the benefits they deserve.”

Over the last six years, the Patrick-Murray Administration has increased funding for the Department of Veterans’ Services and Soldiers’ Homes in Holyoke and Chelsea by 47 percent or $42.5 million. This increased funding supports care and services for the rising number of veterans and their families in Massachusetts.

"The Patrick-Murray Administration has continued to keep veterans issues at the forefront," said Secretary Nee. "I look forward to working closely with Superintendent Barabani to ensure the Holyoke Soldiers Home is providing the finest services to our veterans for years to come."

Among the range of services for veterans supported by the Patrick-Murray Administration, Secretary Polanowicz joined veterans and local officials for the grand opening of the Veterans’ Assistance Center at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke earlier this year. The new Veterans’ Assistance Center provides veterans and their family members with information and assistance on eligibility and application for state and federal benefits, disability services, community referrals and interaction with veteran service agents. Those served include residents of the Soldiers’ Home, those using out-patient or dental services, veterans from communities throughout western Massachusetts and veterans returning from conflict overseas. The center is staffed with certified service officers from the Disabled American Veterans Chapters of Holyoke, West Springfield and Agawam and the Bilingual Veterans Outreach Center of Springfield.

In addition to the new Veterans’ Assistance Center at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, the Patrick-Murray Administration, with the support of the state legislature, also authorized $671,000 during FY 2012 to provide 12 additional beds to serve veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. Recognizing dental care as a major unmet need for veterans, the Administration also worked with the Home in 2011 to reopen the Holyoke Dental Clinic that now serves veterans throughout western Massachusetts. Additionally, following Governor Patrick’s call in 2012 for a comprehensive plan to address and treat Alzheimer’s disease for patients in Massachusetts, the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home has been at the forefront of providing early detection, education and care for veterans and their families affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

The Patrick-Murray Administration leads the nation in providing for our veterans. In addition to the Governor’s proposed FY 2014 budget and improvements at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, the Administration continues to implement initiatives to support employment assistance and workforce training programs for members of the armed forces, veterans and their spouses. Most recently, the Administration announced that all state agencies that oversee professional licensing within the Administration have established guidelines to assist members of the armed forces, veterans and their spouses as they prepare and apply for jobs in Massachusetts. In early March, Governor Patrick also signed an executive order to help small businesses owned by disabled veterans increase access to contracts for public projects in the areas of construction, design and goods and services procurement. This executive order also follows the Governor’s authorization of the VALOR Act to provide greater assistance to help veteran-owned small business participate in public projects. In 2011, the Administration launched an aggressive employment campaign aimed to increase the hiring of Massachusetts veterans. Among these initiatives, the Patrick-Murray Administration partnered with major trade associations to encourage them to hire veterans and circulate information on veterans’ benefits.

Over 1,200 Community Facilities to Receive Broadband Access

OTIS – Thursday, April 4, 2013 - Governor Deval Patrick today lit the first section of a new 1,200-mile fiber-optic network that will bring high-speed Internet access to underserved areas of western and central Massachusetts. The event was held at the regional Farmington River Elementary School, one of the facilities to be connected to the MassBroadband 123 network.

“Broadband is essential for Massachusetts to remain competitive,” said Governor Patrick. “Today is a remarkable milestone because now every corner of the Commonwealth will be connected to the educational and economic opportunities everywhere else in the world.”

The MassBroadband 123 network will provide fiber-optic connectivity directly to 1,200 key facilities in more than 120 western and central Massachusetts communities. These Community Anchor Institutions include schools, libraries, municipal buildings and public safety and health care facilities. The section lit up on Thursday runs from Springfield to Sandisfield and includes 51 community institutions. The remaining segments of the MassBroadband 123 network will be powered up in the months ahead.

The Patrick-Murray Administration has been a longtime champion for broadband expansion in unserved and underserved communities to enable residents and businesses to better compete in the 21st century global economy. MassBroadband 123 is a critical component of Governor Patrick's strategy to invest in education, innovation and infrastructure in order to create growth and economic opportunity in every corner of the Commonwealth.

“By connecting businesses and residents in every part of the state to dependable Internet access, we are investing in the type of infrastructure that will help create economic opportunity for everyone,” said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki. “High-speed Internet is another asset to Central and Western Massachusetts, along with a well-educated workforce, great quality of life, and easy access to Boston and New York City, that makes these parts of the Commonwealth attractive to a wide range of industries.”

“Nothing is more important to our future than making sure our students have the education and skills they need to compete and succeed in a digital world,” said CEO of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Pamela Goldberg. “Today, we take the first step in the crucial process of connecting them to that digital world.”

The immediate benefits of providing fiber-optic connectivity to the 1,200 Community Anchor Institutions include:

Opportunities to enhance school curriculums. These opportunities include virtual field trips, access to online content such as videos or podcasts, and the opportunities to learn and use digital technologies such as websites, wikis and blogs.

Greater bandwidth in libraries so that they can meet the increasingly digital needs of local residents. For example, libraries will be able to aid in job searching and training by providing access to job websites and assisting with resume writing and computer skills training. They can assist businesses by being a video conferencing hub and can teach digital literacy to the elderly and disabled.

Improved and enhanced communications by police and fire departments internally, across departments and with the public. With this new network, police stations across the region will have reliable, fast access to the state Criminal Information database, and be prepared for the next generation 911, which will allow reports to come in via voice, text, email and even videos of an emergency situation.

As part of the network’s launch, a Microsoft Skype demonstration connected students at the Farmington River School with students at a Vive Digital center in Bogota, Colombia and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The Colombian students participated through Vive Digital, Colombia’s comprehensive broadband initiative, with Governor Patrick and members of his Administration met with during his February 2013 trade mission to Colombia.

Governor Patrick and the Legislature created the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative in the Broadband Act of 2008, providing $40 million in state bond funds to start the process of connecting the unconnected in Western Massachusetts. In 2010, $45.4 million in federal stimulus funding was awarded to the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech through the highly-competitive second round of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

“This exciting milestone would not have happened without the support of the Patrick-Murray Administration, the region’s legislative and congressional delegations, the leadership and staff at MassTech and MBI, and terrific industry project partners and community representatives,” said MBI Director Judy Dumont.

"I have fought hard to bring broadband technology to western and central Massachusetts for many years. There is simply no reason why every resident, business and school in the region should not have reliable high speed internet access in 2013. More than one million people will benefit from this important broadband expansion project when it is completed. If we are going to remain competitive in a 21st Century information based economy, high speed internet access will be critical, said Congressman Richard E. Neal.

"Today is the beginning of the end of the digital divide," said State Senator Benjamin Downing. "Five years ago the MBI embraced its mission to bring high speed Internet to the unserved and underserved communities of western Massachusetts and today is delivering real results. Judy and her team should be congratulated, and I look forward to continuing our partnership as we now turn our attention to building the Last Mile network -- and finally connecting every address in the Commonwealth to the Internet -- together."

As the MassBroadband 123 fiber-optic network begins to connect community anchor institutions, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute is looking forward to developing public-private solutions that bring broadband directly to more homes and businesses in Western Massachusetts. Governor Patrick recently filed bond legislation that contains $40 million in new funding for the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech. The funding is designed to leverage additional investment toward developing last-mile solutions that bring broadband connectivity directly to homes and businesses in 45 underserved western and central Massachusetts communities.

About the Massachusetts Broadband Institute

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech is working to extend affordable high-speed Internet access to all homes, businesses, schools, libraries, medical facilities, government offices, and other public places across the Commonwealth, allowing all regions to participate more fully in the innovation economy. MBI also works to promote broadband usage and adoption by our residents and small businesses. Learn more at http://broadband.masstech.org.

About the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is a public agency working to keep Massachusetts at the forefront of innovation, for the purpose of generating more high-paying jobs, higher productivity, greater economic growth, and improved social welfare. We enhance economic growth, accelerate technology use and adoption, and harness the value of research by engaging in meaningful collaborations across academia, industry, and government. From improving our health care systems and expanding high-speed internet across the state to fostering new and emerging sectors, MassTech is driving innovation and supporting a vibrant economy across the Commonwealth. Learn more at www.masstech.org.

The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) announced to its members today that the ill-advised Anti-Motorcycle Sound Warrant in the Town of Yarmouth was defeated last night at the Yarmouth Town Meeting. With strong representation from the MMA and area Motorcyclists, the town voted overwhelmingly with the Town Selectmen, Police Chief and Deputy Chief against the ill-advised warrant which would have seen heavy fines for motorcyclists who don't have OEM exhaust on their bikes, even if parked.

Although April Fools' Day is celebrated in many countries with people playing hoaxes on each other, the Warrant being heard in Yarmouth was no joke. It seems that every spring brings out the anti-motorcycle crowd in advance of the riding season. While normally hailed by local merchants, Motorcyclists are held in disdain by a vocal few because of the irresponsible actions of an even smaller minority. In winter, most people have their heavily insulated walls and windows blocking the sound from outside. In spring, those windows open to let in the fresh air and sounds of birds singing. Those same open windows bring the sounds of lawn equipment and vehicles interrupting the reserve of the winter's prison. As the weather warms, more vehicles, including Motorcycles, find the peace of coastal communities a haven. Motorcyclists, especially ride in groups to enjoy the weather and patronize the local shops who welcome them with open arms.

In Yarmouth, there's little exception to the welcoming atmosphere, but as in some other coastal towns, there are a select few who cringe at the thoughts of Motorcycles invading their personal solitude. As in some other towns in prior years, Yarmouth became the latest test case for the anti-Motorcycle crowd who, buoyed by the organized "noise" around the country by anti-motorcycle organizations attempted to portray the EPA Stamp as a panacea for their ill-aimed venom. In this case, Town Warrant Article #36 would have imposed a $300 fine on a Motorcycle if an EPA stamp was not clearly visible, even if parked.

Last Month the MMA consulted with the Yarmouth Chief of Police and Deputy Chief prior to the Selectmen's meeting. At that meeting, the Chief discussed the existing Massachusetts State Law and the realities of the EPA stamp.

The MMA is strongly opposed to the use of the OEM EPA Stamp as an enforcement tool simply because it is a consumer protection mechanism, not meant to be used against the consumer. It is also hard to locate on many models of motorcycle, hidden under seats on sport bikes, under saddle bags of cruisers, or simply facing the wrong way for aesthetic reasons. Most critically, per the very regulation that entitles it, it expires in one year or 3,729 miles, whichever comes first!!

Instead, the MMA continues to hold a firm belief that the existing laws on the books are sufficient if properly implemented and enforced, specifically that simple test procedures do exist for muffled exhaust, whether replaced with after-market or not, with a reasonable sound level. Given that very few complaints have been lodged with the Police Department, one questions whether there is a real problem or not in Yarmouth. Further, that Education, not Legislation, is key to changing the behavior of a select few who either remove their mufflers or rev throttles simply to "sound cool"…

Armed with the facts, the Yarmouth Selectmen voted unanimously against the warrant article which was then heard last night. Many motorcyclists from Yarmouth and border towns waited four and a half hours at the Town Meeting for Article 36, which was the last to be called. After hearing from two residents supporting the proposed bylaw and three against, a Town Meeting Member enacted a procedural motion to suspend additional testimony and “Move the Article” directly to a vote. The motion carried, the vote was taken, and the proposal was soundly defeated with an almost unanimous vote. It was clear to the committee that Yarmouth residents did not support the increased burden to motorcycle riders and the Yarmouth Police Department and that this issue was not worth the expenditure of additional resources.

The MMA thanks the many riders who attended last night's Yarmouth Town Meeting, the Selectmen, Chief, and Deputy Chief for their diligence and support.

Second stop in Municipal Cabinet Series engages municipalities; highlights Patrick-Murray Administration’s efforts to promote resources for cities and towns

AGAWAM – Thursday, April 4, 2013 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today led the second in a series of meetings with the Municipal Affairs Coordinating Cabinet to highlight new and innovative developments in state and local government and promote resources and investments in cities and towns.

Since 2007, Lieutenant Governor Murray has chaired over 30 meetings of the Municipal Affairs Coordinating Cabinet which has led to significant policy initiatives for communities including the Municipal Partnership Act I and II and regionalization incentive programs. This latest series will feature cabinet secretaries highlighting key investments in each region, providing a forum for local officials to discuss the Patrick-Murray Administration’s efforts to create growth and opportunity by building a 21st century education, innovation and transportation network that will support cities and towns today and in the future.

“During our Administration, these cabinet meetings have successfully engaged local officials as we deliver critical resources and services for municipalities,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “Local government is closest to the people, and we will continue to partner with communities to ensure cities and towns have the resources to grow as we invest in the state’s long-term economic development plan.”

Mayor Richard A. Cohen hosted today’s meeting in Agawam, bringing together local officials from across Western Massachusetts. Building on a long record of collaboration with local leaders, Lieutenant Governor Murray launched the series of meetings with the Municipal Affairs Coordinating Cabinet on March 26th in Taunton. The tour will continue with three more meetings over the next two months in Peabody, Marshfield and Buckland.

"We are happy to host the Lieutenant Governor in Agawam for the Municipal Cabinet meeting,” said Mayor Cohen. “We are fortunate to be able to meet and discuss issues important to the western Massachusetts region."

In January, Governor Patrick unveiled a budget proposal that includes new investments in education and transportation, investments that have proven to create new jobs and economic opportunities. The Governor’s plan includes a $1 billion annual investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system to maintain the transportation assets we have today and launch a number of high-impact transportation projects across Massachusetts that, if built, will create thousands of jobs and spur economic development across the Commonwealth. The plan also includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years, to expand access to high quality educational opportunities and make higher education more affordable for all students in Massachusetts.

“Through targeted and fiscally responsible investments we can improve our infrastructure, provide educational opportunity across the Commonwealth and support the continued growth of our innovation economy,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor. “I look forward to speaking with our stakeholders in municipal government about the Patrick-Murray Administration’s efforts to foster new economic activity across the state.”

“A safe, reliable transportation system is vital for the residents and businesses of the Commonwealth, and we are making targeted investments in every region to help ensure that our economy is strong,” said Richard A. Davey, Secretary and CEO, MassDOT. “I look forward to sharing ideas about targeted transportation investments in this forum and working together so that our communities have the service they need.”

“This opportunity to speak directly with residents of the Commonwealth is one I’m especially looking forward to,” said Secretary of Education Matthew Malone. “We have presented a bold plan aimed at increasing access to quality programs for students entering pre-kindergarten all the way through college. These cabinet meetings will help our neighbors across Massachusetts get a better understanding of our plan and the possibilities it presents.”

In addition to the first meeting held on March 26th in Taunton hosted by Mayor Hoye, the schedule includes the following meetings:

AGAWAM (Hosted by Mayor Richard Cohen)

Thursday, April 4th at 11:30am – Agawam Public Library, 750 Cooper St.

Thursday, May 23rd at 2:00pm – Town Hall, 17 State Street, Shelburne Falls

These public meetings will engage municipal managers, local planners and residents interested in discussing regionalizing local services and other policy to strengthen the partnership between governments. To learn more about the Municipal Affairs Coordinating Cabinet or for additional information or updates on these meetings, visit www.mass.gov/governor/municabinet. For more information on the Governor’s investment plan, visit www.mass.gov/governor/choosegrowth

03/25/2013

Boston –Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), a candidate for U.S. Senate, today calledon his colleagues in Congress to help the Veterans Administration address itsbacklog, fund planned VA hospital expansions in West Roxbury and Brockton, andend the sequestration cuts that have impacted services for veterans.

Speaking inadvance of the 10th Anniversary of the War in Iraq, CongressmanLynch noted rougly 2.5 million American soldiers have been deployed to Iraq,Afghanistan, or both since 2001.

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The Lynch for Senate campaign will hold a ‘Day of Action’ in Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury on Saturday March 23, at 10:00 a.m. The day will begin with canvassing. At 12:30 p.m., Congressman Lynch will join volunteers to officially open the regional office in Dorchester.

BOSTON – Friday, March 22, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today met with several representatives from Colombian start-up companies, a follow-up to the Governor’s February trade mission to Colombia where he met with Catalina Ortiz, President of iNNpulsa Colombia, to discuss ways in which Massachusetts and Colombia can partner in the innovation economy sectors.

Following their tour of the Cambridge Innovation Center, Beatriz Daza, General Manager of iNNpulsa Colombia and representatives from 10 start-up companies in Colombia sat down with the Governor to further the growing relationship between these two countries and reinforce the Governor’s commitment to working with iNNpulsa moving forward.

As part of the Massachusetts-Colombia Innovation Partnership Mission, Governor Patrick and President of the Republic of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize collaboration between Massachusetts and Colombia in the areas of science, technology and innovation, including in the life sciences, digital technology and clean energy industries. Last year, the United States signed a free trade agreement with Colombia, opening up an estimated $1.1 billion market for U.S. exports.

CO-SPONSORS: Tapestry of Voices & Kaji Aso Studio in partnership with the Boston Public Library, SAVE the DATES: Friday, April 5, Noon-4:00P.M. Saturday, April 6th 10:00 A.M.- 4:40 P.M.OPEN MIKE: 1:30 to 3:00P.M.; & Sunday, April 7th, 1:10 to 4:30P.M. Open Mike 1:30-3:00P.M.- Work Shop 3:15-4:30 P.M. The Festival will be held at the library’s main branch in Copley Square. FREE ADMISSION

Friday, April 5- Commonwealth Avenue Salon Room at the BPL:

12:00-1:00 P.M. Dan Tobin, Afaa M. Weaver, Christine Casson

1:00-2:00P.M. David Ferry and George Kalogeris

2:00-3:00 P.M. Rhina P. Espaillat , X.J. Kennedy

3:00-4:00P.M. Kathleen Spivack, Richard Hoffman, Judith Steinbergh

56 Major and Emerging poets will each do a ten minute reading; ALSO

Featuring 5 extraordinarily talented prize winning high school students: from Boston Latin High School,; Boston Arts Academy, and Harvard University, Daniel Schwartz. These student stars will open the Popular Poetry Marathon portion of the Festival April 6th at 10:00 A.M. SAM CORNISH, Boston’s current and first Poet Laureate will open the formal part of the Festival at 11:00 A.M. 55 additional major and emerging poets will follow with a POETRY MARATHON

GOVERNOR JOINS YOUTH OF MA ORGANIZING FOR A REFORMED ECONOMY ADVOCACY DAY

Governor Patrick joins the Youth of MA Organizing for a Reformed Economy Advocacy Day rally on the Ground Staircase at the State House to make the case for investing in education and transportation to unlock growth and opportunity across the Commonwealth. (Photo credit: Eric Haynes / Governor's Office)

BOSTON – Thursday, March 21, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today joined over 100 members of youth groups and coalitions gathered at the State House for the Youth of MA Organizing for a Reformed Economy (YMORE) Advocacy Day to urge support for strategic investments in education and adequate resources for the youth of Massachusetts. The Governor thanked attendees for making their voices heard about the type of Commonwealth they want to live in, and engaged in a conversation on the importance of youth jobs funding, out-of-school programming and progressive revenue.

The Governor’s FY14 budget includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years, to provide universal access to high quality early education for children across the state, from birth through age five; fully fund K-12 education and allow for extended school days in high-need schools; make college more affordable and accessible for high school graduates; and allow our community colleges to expand their efforts to provide students with the knowledge and skill training needed to succeed in the workplace.

The Governor’s FY14 Budget also proposes increasing the Summer Jobs for At-Risk Youth account to $10 million, an increase from FY12, which was funded in total at $9 million. The Summer Jobs for At-Risk Youth funding supports YouthWorks, a statewide program that partners with local workforce boards, employers and youths to ensure that young people get work experience, learn about job expectations, teamwork and career advancement; all the lessons, best learned on the job. Program participants are income-eligible young people ages 14 to 21 that live in Massachusetts cities with the highest levels of poverty, where low-income youth are especially in need of summer job opportunities.

YMORE, founded in 2008, is a coalition of teens from youth groups and coalitions from across the Commonwealth. YMORE advocates for its progressive agenda by educating teens about the state budget and training them to effectively meet with their elected officials. Prior to the event, YMORE members visited legislative leaders to push for progressive revenue to support their FY14 budget priorities.

GOVERNOR PATRICK MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF THE BRAZILIAN FEDERAL CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

BOSTON, MA – Thursday, March 21, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today met with a delegation from the Brazilian National Congress and the First Lady of São Paulo, Dr. Ana Estela Haddad. The federal delegation traveled to Massachusetts for a conference on early education and early intervention at Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child. The congressmen and congresswomen, who represent several of Brazil’s political parties, are professionals in the fields of medicine, education, business and law.

In December 2011, Governor Patrick traveled on the Massachusetts-Brazil Innovation Economy Mission to promote job creation in the life sciences, IT, clean energy and education sectors, along with economic development partnerships between Massachusetts and Brazil. The trip included visits to companies, universities and government leaders in Brasilia, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Governor Patrick signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. He also announced a Massachusetts-Brazil university exchange program. Brazil is Massachusetts’ 14th largest export partner and 24th largest import partner.

GOVERNOR PATRICK VISITS EARLY ED PROGRAM IN LOWELL TO DISCUSS IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION

BOSTON – Thursday, March 21, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today visited with children and staff at the Community Teamwork, Inc. (CTI) Children’s Corner Learning Center to promote the Administration’s proposed investments in early education that will help grow jobs and create opportunity throughout the Commonwealth both in the near term and for future generations.

“Every child in Massachusetts deserves the opportunity to receive high quality early education,” said Governor Patrick. “We know from educators, from academic research, from years of public policy and from our own experience as parents, that investing in our children at a young age pays huge dividends for them and for our community as a whole.”

The Governor’s FY14 budget calls for increased investments in high-quality education in the Commonwealth. A $131 million investment in the early education and care system will provide funding to work to eliminate the Department of Early Education and Care’s (EEC) current birth to age-five waitlist; expand initiatives to ensure the highest educational quality among providers of early education and care; assist early educators and providers with attaining higher levels of proficiency, skill and quality; increase educational programs and supports for parents and family members to further engage them in their child’s success; and expand efforts to provide comprehensive support services to children and their families. There are currently 2,505 children on the EEC waitlist in Lowell.

“CTI Children’s Learning Center is an outstanding example of what we need more of across Massachusetts,” said Secretary of Education Matthew Malone. “These are the organizations that ensure every child, regardless of their family’s financial means, has access to quality early education opportunities. We must be bold in our approach to invest in these programs so they can grow to serve the thousands of children currently on waitlists.”

Increased investments in the Commonwealth’s early education system will enable the state to prevent developmental and achievement gaps for its youngest residents, and will ensure that students are reading and writing proficiently by grade three. The Governor’s plan will work to close the achievement gaps that still persist in Massachusetts, especially among children of color, those who live in poverty, children with special needs and those who speak English as a second language.

"I applaud and support the Governor’s plan to increase investments in early childhood education and care programs across the Commonwealth, to ensure educational quality among providers of early education and to work toward eliminating the current birth to five waitlist so that all children have the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills to succeed in school and that parents understand the importance of engaging in the education of their children,” said Representative Kay Khan. “By investing in programs like Head Start, we can ensure that prior to entering school children are capable of achieving high levels of skill and proficiency which will make all the difference in their future and help close the achievement gap that continues to exist in Massachusetts.”

“Early education and care plays a crucial role in closing the achievement gap and I applaud the Governor’s commitment to ensuring that quality early learning opportunities are made affordable and available to all children throughout the Commonwealth,” said Representative Alice Peisch.

“Education investments have and continue to provide intrinsic value to our students, communities and Commonwealth,” said Representative Jeffrey Roy. “Having a well-educated workforce has strengthened our economy and provided opportunities for our children to succeed. We need to build on that foundation by increasing opportunities for early learners and close the achievement gaps.”

CTI is a private, non-profit Community Action Agency and a regional non-profit housing agency, which offers an array of housing opportunities and supportive services to low-income families. CTI's core service area is comprised of Greater Lowell, which includes Lowell and the seven surrounding towns of Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro and Westford. Some programs extend to other areas of the state including portions of Middlesex and Essex Counties and the Metrowest area.

BOSTON – Thursday, March 21, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced a report showing that initiatives to streamline permitting at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) have dramatically shortened the time to permit, removed unnecessary barriers to jobs and economic growth and made MassDEP a national leader in protecting the environment through smarter and better methods.

In 2007, Governor Patrick directed MassDEP to speed up and simplify its permitting process to match “the speed of business.” In response, the Department initiated a permit streamlining program in 2007 that cut review timelines across the board and simplified the approval process for key permits associated with significant economic development opportunities. Overall, MassDEP has reduced permitting timelines by 20 percent since 2007, with 90 percent of DEP permits now being issued within three months, compared to only 69 percent before 2007. Ninety-seven percent of permits are issued within six months, compared to 81 percent before 2007.

"Massachusetts is growing jobs because of our strategy to invest in education, innovation and infrastructure and because of the tremendous strides we have made in positioning Massachusetts as a top place to do business," said Governor Patrick. "Thanks to the efforts at MassDEP to remove barriers and create efficiencies in the permitting process, more businesses are making Massachusetts their home and creating jobs and opportunity in our neighborhoods."

The Governor made today’s announcement at Lovejoy Wharf, a site that, because of the Administration’s efforts to remove delays and barriers in the permitting process, will soon be the corporate headquarters of Converse. The Governor also touted a package of more than 20 additional reforms proposed by MassDEP, in coordination with business, municipal and environmental stakeholders, to weed out unnecessary or obsolete regulations, further lightening the regulatory burden on businesses and helping promote job growth. The package of reforms will further streamline environmental permitting requirements and eliminate state permits that are of low environmental protection value or that duplicate local approvals.

“These reforms will lighten the regulatory burden on industry and promote jobs and economic development without compromising the Commonwealth’s strict environmental and public-health protection standards,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “The top-to-bottom review and reform of its regulations have helped MassDEP reach the Governor’s goal of approving permits at the speed of business.”

“Once implemented, these reforms will save MassDEP hundreds of hours of administrative time per year and improve overall environmental protection by allowing our agency to focus on the most pressing environmental challenges,” said MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. “The private sector will also see significant savings. We estimate that the changes in our hazardous waste site cleanup program will save businesses and municipalities approximately $1.4 million a year.”

MassDEP’s efforts are part of Governor Patrick’s nation-leading regulatory reform effort. This is the most significant and impactful reform of the regulatory system in Massachusetts in decades. Through September 2012, 60 state agencies had reviewed 446 sets of regulations with 286 of those regulations being amended or eliminated. Nearly two-thirds of all of the regulations reviewed have had some action taken. The goal of making it easier to do business in Massachusetts is one of the five main goals of the Commonwealth’s long-term economic development plan, “Choosing to Compete in the 21st Century.”

“Governor Patrick’s call for an innovative, wide-ranging review of regulations has made it easier for hundreds of thousands of small businesses to operate in Massachusetts. It is a significant step toward dispelling the notion that it is difficult to do business in Massachusetts,” said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki. “Through these reforms we are cutting red-tape, refining how state government operates, lowering costs for many businesses and improving the regulatory environment to create opportunity for everyone in Massachusetts.”

“We can protect the environment and vulnerable workers while still promoting economic growth that benefits everyone in the Commonwealth,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Goldstein. “Our work with employers to fund workforce training initiatives promotes job growth while ensuring that jobs that are created are safe and stable.”

Today’s announcement also came on the heels of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s report that Massachusetts has now surpassed pre-recession job levels, adding over 19,000 jobs in January and February 2013. The Patrick-Murray Administration, in partnership with the Legislature, has pursued a strategy of investing in education, innovation and infrastructure, even in the midst of the economic recession, which positioned Massachusetts to recover faster and stronger than most other states.

In January, Governor Patrick unveiled a budget proposal that includes new investments in education and transportation, investments that have proven to create new jobs and economic opportunities. The Governor’s plan includes a $1 billion annual investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system to maintain the transportation assets we have today and launch a number of high-impact transportation projects across Massachusetts that, if built, will create thousands of jobs and spur economic development across the Commonwealth. The plan also includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years, to expand access to high quality educational opportunities and make higher education more affordable for all students in Massachusetts.

Over the past two months, Governor Patrick has been traveling across the state making the case for business leaders, educators, local elected officials and members of the public about the importance of investing now in education and infrastructure to spur job creation and unlock opportunity in every corner of the Commonwealth. For more information on the Governor’s investment plan visit www.mass.gov/governor/choosegrowth.

03/16/2013

03/15/2013

As previously reported, the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) is proud to host the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) "Beast of the East"
Conference, April 19-21, 2013 at the Radisson Hotel in Chelmsford, MA. Hotel Reservations at a discounted room rate will be closing on March 19th.

Pre-registration discounts will close on April 19th.

There is already an exciting agenda for the conference including a discussion of the

Motorcyclists Rights Movement, a National Legislative Update, a discussion
of Intelligent Transportation Systems, how to deal with Motorcycle-only

Checkpoints, the MRF "3 R's" Safety Program, a Riding Demonstration of cornering technique, and many more. The conference end-caps include a commemorative ride to the Lexington & Concord Battlefields (those arriving in cars are welcome to join as well) and a voluntary Sound Test for your bike. A detailed agenda and more information are available on the MRF Conference Website here: http://www.mrf.org/2013/BEAST/BEAST%20Agenda%202013.pdf.

BOSTON – Friday, March 15, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced the nomination of John E. McDonald, Jr. as an Associate Justice of the Boston Municipal Court, Central Division.

“I am pleased to nominate John McDonald to serve on the Boston Municipal Court,” said Governor Patrick. “He will bring to the bench many years of valuable experience as a prosecutor, a private practitioner and an assistant clerk-magistrate, as well as a strong work ethic and an excellent temperament. I thank him for his demonstrated commitment to the fair administration of justice and his willingness to serve the Commonwealth as a member of the judiciary.”

McDonald serves as an Assistant Clerk-Magistrate at the Boston Municipal Court, Central Division, a position he has held since 2006. He began his legal career in 1992, serving for two years as a District Court prosecutor in the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. He maintained a sole practice in Braintree for 12 years from 1994 to 2006, concentrating on both civil and criminal litigation. McDonald graduated from Boston College (B.A. cum laude, 1988) and Columbus School of Law, Catholic University (J.D., 1991). He is a native and a resident of Braintree. If confirmed, he will fill the vacancy on the Boston Municipal Court created by the retirement of the Honorable Lawrence E. McCormick.

Bill includes Authorization to support The Way Forward Plan and FY13-17 Capital Investment Plan

BOSTON – Wednesday, March 13, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today filed a transportation bond bill to authorize and fund the 21st Century Transportation Plan “The Way Forward,” the 10-year plan for the next generation of transportation investments to modernize and maintain a transportation system that spurs economic growth and creates jobs across the Commonwealth.

The bill invests $13.7 billion over ten years to address a backlog of deferred maintenance and strategically improve our transportation system to reduce congestion on roads, curb delays and minimize crowding on trains and buses, and improve customer service. In addition, this bill continues funding current investments identified in the statewide road and bridge program identified in the Fiscal Year 2013-2017 Capital Investment Plan. In total, the bill authorizes $19 billion of capital investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system. Taken together, this legislation represents the administration’s commitment to a 21st century transportation system for Massachusetts.

“These investments will create the jobs and opportunity today that will build a stronger Commonwealth for tomorrow,” said Governor Patrick. “A modern, safe, equitable 21st Century transportation system is what our citizens want and our Commonwealth needs to unlock economic growth in every region of the Commonwealth.”

“Now is the time to build on our previous investments and complete the vision of a 21st Century transportation system that not only helps people get from point A to point B but strengthens our economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the legislature, cities and towns, and the business community to make this vision a reality.”

“The Governor and Lieutenant Governor from the very beginning have focused on reversing the previous inadequate maintenance of our roads, bridges, and rails through commitments such as the Accelerated Bridge Program, and the bond bill supports the next critical steps in maintaining and improving transportation for decades to come,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey.

“The Patrick-Murray Administration is committed to making critical investments in job creation and economic growth by modernizing and expanding our roads, rails and bridges,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor. “The bond bill codifies our 21st Century Transportation Plan which will help create a transportation network that strengthens our economy and enhances our quality of life in Massachusetts.”

The transportation bond bill, to be funded by existing revenues and additional revenues through passage of tax reform, includes the following investments to complete the 21st Century Transportation Plan and fund the existing transportation capital plan for the next four years. Without passage of the Governor’s plan, necessary road and bridge projects will go unaddressed, creating longer commutes, eliminating public transit options and slowing economic recovery and growth.

$3.4 billion to provide $300 million annually in Chapter 90 funds, a 50 percent increase, distributed to Towns and Cities for local road and bridge projects

$2.4 billion for transportation construction projects over the next four years that are eligible for 82 percent federal reimbursement of costs, leaving a net state borrowing cost of $432 million

$4.6 billion to fully state-fund highway maintenance and construction, including major projects identified in the 21st Century Transportation Plan, such as the I-93/I-95 interchange and Springfield I-91 viaduct

$4.4 billion for regional rail projects identified in the Transportation Plan including Green Line expansion, South Coast Rail and South Station expansion

Bill includes Authorization to support The Way Forward Plan and FY13-17 Capital Investment Plan

BOSTON – Wednesday, March 13, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today filed a transportation bond bill to authorize and fund the 21st Century Transportation Plan “The Way Forward,” the 10-year plan for the next generation of transportation investments to modernize and maintain a transportation system that spurs economic growth and creates jobs across the Commonwealth.

The bill invests $13.7 billion over ten years to address a backlog of deferred maintenance and strategically improve our transportation system to reduce congestion on roads, curb delays and minimize crowding on trains and buses, and improve customer service. In addition, this bill continues funding current investments identified in the statewide road and bridge program identified in the Fiscal Year 2013-2017 Capital Investment Plan. In total, the bill authorizes $19 billion of capital investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system. Taken together, this legislation represents the administration’s commitment to a 21st century transportation system for Massachusetts.

“These investments will create the jobs and opportunity today that will build a stronger Commonwealth for tomorrow,” said Governor Patrick. “A modern, safe, equitable 21st Century transportation system is what our citizens want and our Commonwealth needs to unlock economic growth in every region of the Commonwealth.”

“Now is the time to build on our previous investments and complete the vision of a 21st Century transportation system that not only helps people get from point A to point B but strengthens our economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the legislature, cities and towns, and the business community to make this vision a reality.”

“The Governor and Lieutenant Governor from the very beginning have focused on reversing the previous inadequate maintenance of our roads, bridges, and rails through commitments such as the Accelerated Bridge Program, and the bond bill supports the next critical steps in maintaining and improving transportation for decades to come,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey.

“The Patrick-Murray Administration is committed to making critical investments in job creation and economic growth by modernizing and expanding our roads, rails and bridges,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor. “The bond bill codifies our 21st Century Transportation Plan which will help create a transportation network that strengthens our economy and enhances our quality of life in Massachusetts.”

The transportation bond bill, to be funded by existing revenues and additional revenues through passage of tax reform, includes the following investments to complete the 21st Century Transportation Plan and fund the existing transportation capital plan for the next four years. Without passage of the Governor’s plan, necessary road and bridge projects will go unaddressed, creating longer commutes, eliminating public transit options and slowing economic recovery and growth.

$3.4 billion to provide $300 million annually in Chapter 90 funds, a 50 percent increase, distributed to Towns and Cities for local road and bridge projects

$2.4 billion for transportation construction projects over the next four years that are eligible for 82 percent federal reimbursement of costs, leaving a net state borrowing cost of $432 million

$4.6 billion to fully state-fund highway maintenance and construction, including major projects identified in the 21st Century Transportation Plan, such as the I-93/I-95 interchange and Springfield I-91 viaduct

$4.4 billion for regional rail projects identified in the Transportation Plan including Green Line expansion, South Coast Rail and South Station expansion

GOVERNOR PATRICK JOINS RALLY IN SUPPORT OF TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION INVESTMENTS THAT WILL CREATE GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH

Governor Patrick joins the 'Campaign for our Communities' Advocacy Day rally in Gardner Auditorium at the State House to make the case for investing in education and transportation to unlock growth and opportunity across the Commonwealth. (Photo credit: Eric Haynes / Governor's Office)View more photos

BOSTON - Tuesday, March 12, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today joined hundreds of teachers, parents, small business owners and others gathered at the State House this morning to urge support from legislators for the Governor’s investment proposal. The Governor thanked attendees for making their voices heard about the type of Commonwealth they want to live in, and emphasized the importance of investing now in transportation and education to unlock opportunity for residents in the near term and for future generations.

"Our best strategy to grow opportunity is to invest in education, innovation and infrastructure," said Governor Patrick, who joined the rally of taxpayers from around the Commonwealth who support making investments in our local communities. "Are we satisfied with the pace of recovery, or are we willing to make the tough choices and real investments it takes today to do better for the next generation? Almost all of us agree that the single best way to do that is by investing in education and transportation -- and that requires new revenue."

The Governor’s FY14 budget includes a $1 billion annual investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system to maintain the current transportation assets we have today and launch a number of high-impact transportation projects across Massachusetts that, if built, will create thousands of jobs and spur economic development across the Commonwealth. The plan also includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years, to provide universal access to high quality early education for children across the state, from birth through age five; fully fund K-12 education and allow for extended school days in high-need schools; make college more affordable and accessible for high school graduates; and allow our community colleges to expand their efforts to provide students with the knowledge and skill training needed to succeed in the workplace.

Today’s rally was organized by Campaign for our Communities, a coalition of over 120 organizations across the Commonwealth, representing thousands of citizens. Campaign for our Communities has hosted similar rallies this year in Lynn, New Bedford, Worcester and Brockton, in support of additional revenue to make critical investments across the Commonwealth that will spur growth and opportunity.

Plan sets goals to end veteran homelessness by 2015

BOSTON – Tuesday, March 12, 2013 – Lieutenant Governor Murray today announced the release of the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness’ Integrated Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness Among Veterans. Joined by Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services Secretary Coleman Nee, Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Aaron Gornstein, officials from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness (ICHH) and veteran service providers, Lieutenant Governor Murray outlined the report prior to touring the New England Center for Homeless Veterans.

“By working with key stakeholders in the veteran and housing communities, I am proud that Massachusetts will become one of only a few states to outline a comprehensive action plan to ensure all veterans have a safe place to call home,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, who chairs both the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness and the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services. “As we support the men and women who have bravely served our country, we will continue to leverage this partnership to deliver critical resources proven to be effective in ending homelessness.”

The Massachusetts Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness Among Veterans (Plan) seeks to ensure all Massachusetts veterans will have a stable place to call home. The objectives of the plan are to reduce the number of homeless veterans in the Commonwealth by 1,000 (based on the annual Point In Time count) by the end of 2015 and to statistically end veteran homelessness in Massachusetts. The annual Point In Time count measures the number of homeless persons in the U.S. on a single night in January 2012, including the number of homeless veterans.

The objectives will be achieved by four primary goals: 1) Rehouse and stabilize veterans who become homeless by implementing a housing strategy; 2) Ensure veterans most at risk of homelessness remain housed to prevent homelessness; 3) Increase access to benefits and resources for veterans through greater intervention; and 4) Align and integrate federal, state, and community resources to support veterans through effective partnerships. Each goal, focused on housing, prevention, intervention, and partnerships, is supported by a detailed action plan to accomplish the goal over time.

“Massachusetts leads the nation in providing benefits and services to our veterans and their families,” said Secretary Nee. “No one who has ever worn the uniform of this great nation should struggle to find a roof over their head. This unprecedented coordination and collaboration of the ICHH steering committee is one more example why the Commonwealth leads the way. The plan set forth today will enable Massachusetts to become the first state in the country to end veterans’ homelessness.”

“DHCD will continue to work aggressively to create more permanent housing options for formerly homeless veterans,” said Undersecretary Gornstein. “We look forward to collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners to implement this important plan.”

According to the 2011 Point In Time count, there were 1,268 homeless veterans on a given night across Massachusetts, which represents 7.6% of the total homeless population in the state. This Point In Time count has been trending downward in recent years, with the 2011 count 20.6% lower than that of the previous year. It is also estimated that 450 of those individuals meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of chronically homeless.

The Plan is a product of an ICHH Steering Committee to End Veterans’ Homelessness. The Steering Committee engaged well over 200 stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to identify barriers, opportunities, and best practices. Finally, the Steering Committee reviewed emerging best practices in preventing and ending homelessness among veterans from here in Massachusetts, as well as other parts of the country.

"Veterans Service Officers are key allies in preventing homelessness among the veterans in our home communities," said Steven Connor, President of the Massachusetts Veteran Service Officers Association. "Whether we serve in our Commonwealth's major cities, or in our most rural small towns, we know there are homeless veterans or those living on the edge of homelessness that we have a duty to serve. The MVSOA is fully supportive of the Patrick-Murray Administration's efforts to end veterans' homelessness and we are committed to partnering with veteran service organization and providers to make this vision a reality in all of our cities and towns."

“The New England Center for Homeless Veterans is honored to host and provide the location for today’s important announcement by Lieutenant Governor Murray,” said Andy McCawley, President and CEO of the New England Center for Homeless Veterans. “The Center’s mission is to provide support and services to those who have served this country, and find themselves facing or at risk of homelessness.

The Center joins the Patrick – Murray Administration, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Federal support agencies, the City of Boston, and the entire community of outstanding Veteran service providers here in Massachusetts to make the end of Veterans’ homelessness a reality.”

In December 2011, Lt. Governor Murray charged the ICHH and the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) with drafting the first statewide plan to prevent and end homelessness among veterans. This action is part of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s efforts to end homelessness among veterans. In recent years, the Administration has fostered emerging partnerships, setting the stage for a new way of approaching the challenge of ending veterans’ homelessness in a targeted and collaborative fashion. Last January, DVS launched a pilot program in collaboration with VA known as the Statewide Housing Advocacy for Reintegration and Prevention (SHARP) program. The SHARP team is administered by DVS, and represents a first-in-the-nation model that accelerates the housing process and offers veteran-to-veteran peer support, mental health services, psychiatric evaluation and linkages to emergency shelter to chronically homeless veterans. The team also identifies and enrolls new homeless veterans in the HUD-VASH program. Since January 2011, the SHARP Team has housed 48 chronically homeless veterans out of the initial 50 pilot vouchers awarded to the program and has maintained a higher than national average success rate in keeping these veterans housed and case-managed for mental health, substance abuse and other issues related to their well-being.

In addition to the work of the DVS and ICHH steering committee and the recently implemented SHARP program, DVS funds more than 30 shelter and transitional housing non-profit organizations, providing housing services to eligible veterans ranging from Emergency Homeless Shelters, group residences, to Single Room Occupancy quarters.

The Patrick-Murray Administration is a leading provider for veteran services and continues to implement programs to complement efforts to end homelessness among veterans. In 2011, the Administration launched an aggressive employment campaign aimed to increase the hiring of Massachusetts veterans. Among these initiatives, the Patrick-Murray Administration partnered with major trade associations to encourage them to hire veterans and circulate information on veterans benefits. The Massachusetts Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, the Mass High Tech Council, the Defense Technology Initiative, and the Retailers Association of Massachusetts are among the growing list of major trade associations committed to working with the Administration and the Massachusetts veteran community.

To lead by example, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor called for the establishment of an Interagency Taskforce on Hiring Veterans within the Executive Branch. The Secretary of Administration and Finance charged the head of the Human Resources Division along with Taskforce members to take a critical look at the Executive Branch’s current policies, processes and practices on hiring veterans and recently completed this plan. Last week, Governor Deval Patrick signed an executive order to help small businesses owned by disabled veterans increase access to contracts for public projects in the areas of construction, design and goods and services procurement. This executive order follows the Governor’s authorization of “An Act Relative to Veterans’ Access Livelihood, Opportunity, and Resources” (The VALOR Act), signed last year, to provide greater assistance to help veteran-owned small business participate in public projects.

GOVERNOR PATRICK SIGNS SOCIAL WORKER SAFETY IN THE WORKFORCE LEGISLATION

BOSTON – Monday, March 11, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick Friday signed Social Work Safety in the Workforce legislation that will further enhance Massachusetts’ efforts to protect those who are caring for our most vulnerable residents.

The bill, originally signed into law on February 15, 2013, as part of the FY13 Supplemental Budget, requires all direct services providers who receive funding from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide workplace violence prevention and crisis response plans.

“This legislation offers vital safety protections to human service employees and social workers,” said Senator Sal DiDomenico. “While it will not ameliorate the sorrow and suffering of previous tragedies that have occurred in the past, it will bring us closer to ensuring the safety of those workers who take care of our most vulnerable populations. I have to thank NASW for their leadership on this issue, Representative Sean Garballey for his partnership on this bill, and my colleagues in the Senate for their tremendous support, including Senate President Therese Murray.”

“I am proud to have been able to partner with the National Association of Social Workers and Senator DiDomenico on passing legislation that protects our social workers so they can continue to provide essential services to residents throughout the Commonwealth,” said Representative Sean Garballey.

“Today marks a major advancement for the social work profession,” said Carol Trust, Executive Director of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. “With the signing today of the social work safety in the workplace bill, Governor Patrick and the entire legislature have demonstrated their commitment to the profession and also to the clients and communities served by social workers.”

“Social workers provide a crucial and fundamental service to residents of the Commonwealth,” said Senator Michael Moore. “This legislation is critical to ensure the protection of social workers as they continue to provide services to our most vulnerable populations.”

“Dedicated people serving clients in need shouldn’t be exposed to the threat of harm, and this legislation creates the planning and resources to protect them," said Senator Bruce Tarr. "We will all be far better served by taking proactive steps to keep these professionals safe."

"Social workers are on the front lines working with families in crisis across the Commonwealth,” said Representative Carolyn Dykema. “I'm proud to have cosponsored this legislation to help ensure that social workers working with the Commonwealth have a workplace prepared with a plan and training should violence arrive in their midst of this important work."

"Developing safety policies for social workers is important on so many levels, and I am very pleased with the passage of this bill," said Representative Thomas Stanley. "The legislation not only creates a critical environment of safety for our social workers, but also helps reduce staff burnout and improves employee retention."

Under the law, violence prevention and crisis response plans must be updated at least annually for social workers, human services workers, volunteers and all other employees. The legislation outlines the specifics of what prevention plans should include, and allows for HHS to offer additional training for employees.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan coalition of more than 900 mayors and more than 1.4 million grassroots supporters, responded today to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s passage of S.374, the Protecting Responsible Gun Owners Act in a vote of 10-8. The bill, sponsored by New York Senator Charles E. Schumer and based on a proposal by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, would require that all gun sales be subject to a background check and would close the “private sale loophole.”

Around 40 percent of U.S. gun transfers are conducted by unlicensed “private sellers” who are not required to conduct a federal check,[1] and who often do business at gun

shows and on the Internet – indicating that about 6.6 million guns are

transferred in the U.S. every year with no background check for the buyer.[2] This loophole allows dangerous people who are prohibited from buying guns – including felons, domestic abusers and the seriously mentally ill – to avoid a background check by simply avoiding licensed dealers.

Evidence demonstrates that background checks save lives. For example, in the fourteen states that already require background checks for all handgun sales:

Gun trafficking is 48 percent lower than in states that fail to require background checks for all handgun sales.[3]

In 2010, the rate of women murdered by an intimate partner with a gun was 38 percent lower than in other states, while the rate murdered by other means was nearly identical.[4]

The firearm suicide rate was 49 percent lower than in other states, even though people committed suicide in other ways at almost precisely the same rate.[5]

Recent polls by Mayors Against Illegal Guns showed likely voters in a wide range of states and congressional districts overwhelmingly support background checks for all gun sales. The average support for background checks for all gun sales among 41 congressional district polls was 89 percent; the average among 21 statewide polls was 86 percent. The findings of these surveys can be found here. These findings are in line

by Republican Frank Luntz for Mayors Against Illegal Guns also found that 82 percent of gun owners – including 74 percent of National Rifle Association members – support requiring criminal background checks for anyone purchasing a gun.

“Today the U.S. Senate took an important first step to require criminal background checks for all gun sales,” said Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. ”I applaud the members of the Senate Judiciary committee who voted to send this bill to the Senate floor. Now we’ll work with their colleagues in the Senate to ensure passage of this common sense legislation that will help save lives and protect our communities. Americans are demanding action from Washington to prevent gun violence – and meaningful reform is within our reach.”

“The Senate Judiciary Committee made important progress today, but it’s up to their peers in Congress to be bold and follow suit,” Mayors Against Illegal Guns Co-Chair and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. “The message from Americans is loud and clear: enough is enough. Thirty-three Americans are murdered with guns every day – we can no longer afford inaction on common sense gun laws like requiring background checks for every firearms

sale.”

Statements from Members of the Coalition:

ARIZONA

Mayor Bill Rappaport of Star Valley, Arizona

“The Senate Judiciary Committee has sided with America's law enforcement officers, who overwhelmingly support the public safety legislation approved today. An expanded background check system will empower police to more effectively track down criminals and give the families of gun violence victims the closure they deserve.”

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild of Tucson, Arizona

"An overwhelming majority of Americans - and Arizonans - believe that mandatory background checks for all gun sales is a good policy that will keep our communities safe. This vote proves that their collective voice can overpower the gun lobby's dollars, but Americans must continue to demand action from Congress to end gun violence."

CONNECTICUT

Mayor Michael Pavia of Stamford, Connecticut

“As a Republican mayor in Connecticut, I want to voice my strong support for the actions taken today by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Extending background checks and record-keeping to all U.S. gun sales is the foundation of legislation that will save lives and stop criminals. This legislation demands full consideration by the House and Senate.”

Mayor Pedro Segarra of Hartford, Connecticut

“Eight in 10 gun owners recognize that requiring a background check for every gun sale is a practical policy that will save lives without limiting anyone's right to bear arms. This vote is a smart first step and Americans must continue to demand action from Congress to ensure full consideration of comprehensive background checks and other key measures to stop gun violence here in Connecticut and around the country.”

INDIANA

Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana

“Today’s vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee signals that Congress has finally caught up to the American people, a majority of whom support background checks for all gun sales. We demanded a plan to reduce gun violence after Virginia Tech, after Binghamton, after Aurora, after Newtown, and after the countless other gun tragedies that take place every day in America. Now we’re demanding action – and our voices are resonating in the halls of Congress.”

FLORIDA

Mayor Michael Ryan of Sunrise, Florida

“I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for taking meaningful steps towards the reduction of gun violence and the illegal proliferation of guns. The evidence is irrefutable -- when utilized, background checks keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the severely mentally ill.”

MINNESOTA

Mayor R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis, Minnesota

“Mayors who see the terrible effects of gun violence every day know all too well that we need action from our state capitals and our nation's capital to end it -- and fortunately, we have seen some today. I thank Senators Leahy, Klobuchar, Franken and their colleagues who voted to take this important first step. Congress needs to keep up the momentum and put a commonsense bill on President Obama's desk that will help mayors, police and community end gun violence and keep people safe.”

NEW JERSEY

Mayor Susan Cohen of Manalapan, New Jersey

“I want to congratulate and express my gratitude to the Senate Judiciary Committee for approving S.374 today. Only by expanding our existing background check system to all sales can we ensure that guns do not fall into dangerous hands. As a Republican, I have no doubt that this is a bipartisan issue and indeed a fundamentally American issue: We need a strong Second Amendment that allows law-abiding gun owners to bear arms in self-defense but does not allow criminals to arm themselves with impunity. I urge the full Senate to act on this bill quickly, and I urge all Senators, regardless of party, to help pass it into law.”

OHIO

Mayor Michael Coleman of Columbus, Ohio

“The Senate Judiciary Committee has taken an incredibly important step forward in the fight to stop gun violence. They have listened to our 900 mayors. They have listened to our police chiefs. And they have listened to the gun violence survivors and the family members of victims who are committed to preventing the next terrible gun tragedy. I eagerly await action on the floor of the Senate – and in the House of Representatives – and urge members of the Ohio congressional delegation to support background checks on all U.S. gun sales.”

PENNSYLVANIA

Mayor Rick Gray of Lancaster, Pennsylvania

“I am incredibly gratified that S.374 was passed out of committee today. Congress is working properly and working well when it listens to the public: 92 percent of the American public favors requiring background checks for all sales in the wake of Newtown, and the Senate Judiciary Committee has responded. Background checks are the only systematic way to keep guns out of dangerous hands, and I ask lawmakers to help build bipartisan support for this sensible and important bill.”

SOUTH CAROLINA

Mayor Joseph Riley of Charleston, South Carolina

“Thousands of South Carolinians have joined the rest of America in demanding action from Congress to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Today is but the first step in protecting our communities from the needless violence that claims 33 lives every day. We can save so many families the pain of losing a loved one with this common sense legislation.”

TEXAS

Mayor Annise Parker of Houston, Texas

“Respect for the Second Amendment goes hand-in-hand with common-sense laws to keep weapons away from dangerous people. Senate Bill 374 is a proposal that addresses our gun violence problem while also protecting our constitutional rights. The bill closes the private sale loophole in the simplest fashion – enforcing existing prohibitions on gun ownership while putting minimal strain on the public. It is truly great news that the bill has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Please help to make the passage of this bill a bipartisan achievement.”

Mayor Richard Ward of Hurst, Texas

“This isn’t a partisan issue – it’s just plain common sense. We can pay tribute to our Second Amendment rights and take responsible measures to keep guns away from felons, domestic abusers, and the severely mentally ill. I thank the Judiciary Committee for this critical first step in protecting our communities by enacting responsible, sensible legislation.”

VERMONT

Mayor Miro Weinberger of Burlington, Vermont

“I applaud Chairman Leahy for his tremendous leadership on this issue. In Vermont, where we have a long tradition of hunting and sporting, we know it’s possible to uphold our Second Amendment rights while also taking steps to keep guns from falling into the wrong hands. Today’s Judiciary Committee action was an important step towards closing the deadly loopholes in our nation’s gun background check system.”

Mayor John Hollar of Montpelier, Vermont

“Today is an historic moment for all of the American families affected by gun violence. Congress is closer than ever before to honoring the lives we have lost by passing the commonsense solutions to gun violence that so many Americans support.”

WISCONSIN

Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“Under our broken background check system, a would-be killer can walk into any gun show, scan the classifieds, or just go to Armslist.com – and purchase any gun he wants with no questions asked and no paperwork required. And if that armed criminal does kill someone, and the cops recover the gun at the scene, they can’t trace it to him. Today, the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee took steps to close this loophole by approving S.374. I hope all federal legislators will join the fight to pass this common-sense bill.”

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors to more than 900 mayors from across the country. We have more than 1.4 million grassroots supporters, making us the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country. The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation’s mayors around these common goals: protecting their communities by holding gun offenders and irresponsible gun dealers accountable; demanding access to trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat illegal gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix gaps, weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other prohibited purchasers to get guns. Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org

including 251 gun owners, were surveyed by telephone and asked how they obtained their firearms.

[2] In the 38 states that have not fully closed the private sale loophole, an estimated 9,856,984 background checks were conducted between November 2011 and November 2012, out of an estimated 16.5 million total firearm transfers in those states. 40 percent of this total—6.6 million transfers—occurred without background checks. Calculation based on FBI data. Available:

Patrick today met with Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the United

States João Vale de Almeida, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States Michael Collins and Consul General of Ireland in Boston Michael Lonergan. Ireland currently holds the rotating EU Presidency. The meeting builds on the Patrick-Murray Administration’s commitment to cultivating and expanding the existing relationship between Massachusetts and the EU, its largest trade partner.

“Strengthening our ties with the European Union will allow the Commonwealth to compete in the 21st century global economy.”

Prior to becoming Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United

States in 2010, Ambassador Vale de Almeida served as the Director General for External Relations at the European Commission. He was also Head of Cabinet for European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and before that held a senior position in the Directorate General for Education and Culture. Ambassador Vale de Almeida is originally from Portugal.

Prior to becoming Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States in 2007,

Ambassador Collins served as second secretary general at the Department of the Taoiseach, or Irish prime minister. He was also Ireland’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Emirates, and then to the Czech Republic and Ukraine. Collins last visited Boston in February 2012 with Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

The EU, which has the largest GDP in the world at $15.7 trillion, represents

Patrick today joined Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rick Sullivan, Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Commissioner Mary Griffin and state wildlife officials on an expedition to document the newest members of the Commonwealth’s black bear population.

The team discovered two cubs born approximately four to six weeks ago. The

cubs, both male, weighed in at approximately six pounds. Based on last year’s breeding status, the Conway bear is one of 16 radio-collared sows believed to have given birth this winter.

While newborn cubs are too small to tag or collar, MassWildlife records each

cub’s physical condition, weight and gender. Biologists also check the physical condition of mother bears, as well as the condition and fit of their radio collars.

Information gathered at the den in Conway today adds to that compiled through

one of longest, continuous studies of black bears in the United States. DFG’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) began the study with the Massachusetts Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at the University of

Massachusetts in Amherst in 1970.

MassWildlife has been solely responsible for the project since 1999 and is

currently examining reproductive success, cub survival, adult female survival and human-bear interactions. Numbering only about 100 bears when the study began, the Massachusetts black bear population has grown to approximately 3,000 today.

Although black bears are becoming more common in central Massachusetts and

are occasionally sighted in eastern communities, most of MassWildlife’s bear

research takes place west of the Connecticut River. With the aid of radio

telemetry, MassWildlife is currently tracking 16 female bears, also known as

sows, to determine adult female survival and cub production and survival – key components of the Division’s black bear population model. MassWildlife does not collar male bears, but ear-tags them to provide future knowledge about survival and movement.

Contrary to popular belief, black bears don’t go into true hibernation in

winter. Rather, they sleep soundly in their dens from November or December until early March to mid-April, but may wake up to forage in mild weather.

Black bears are found in 43 states. Those in Massachusetts average 230 pounds

for males and 140 pounds for females. They are omnivores – eating a variety of foods from vegetation and berries to grubs, insects and carrion – and are

excellent climbers, frequently using trees to rest and to protect their young. Black bears mate between mid-June and mid-July and cubs are born in mid- to late-January. Cubs remain in the den until April and stay with their mother for about 17 months. Females typically have their first litter when they are 3-4 years old.

Approximately half of Massachusetts residents will pay less,

or the same under Governor Patrick’s proposal to grow jobs and opportunity

online tool that shows the impact of the Patrick-Murray Administration Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) budget proposal on an individual or family’s budget. The tool can be found, along with maps that outline the education and transportation plans that will help grow jobs in every corner of the Commonwealth, at www.mass.gov/governor/choosegrowth.

“We are proposing meaningful investments in education and transportation, and

people want to know what that means for them,” said Governor Patrick. “Last

week, with the maps, we showed what long-postponed projects would get done in each community. Now, with this tool, we show just what the costs or savings will be for individual households.”

Residents will enter information including their annual income and filing

status, and will be able to view the impact of the Governor’s proposal on their personal taxes.

"The Governor and I know that asking people to pay more by any type of tax

increase is never easy," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. "However, our growth strategy will expand opportunities for this generation and generations to come. As we continue the conversation, we hope this online tool will help residents understand the impact taxes will have on them personally and for the strength of our economy and Commonwealth.”

To support almost $2 billion in meaningful investments that will strengthen

the state’s economic future, the FY14 budget calls for the creation of a simpler and fairer tax system that lowers the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent, and raises the income tax to 6.25 percent. All proceeds from the sales tax will be dedicated to a public works fund that will support the

Administration’s 21st century transportation plan, as well as the

school building fund and other public infrastructure projects, and will be off limits for any other purpose.

To make that increase fair to all according to their ability to pay, the

Governor has proposed doubling the personal exemptions for every taxpayer and eliminating a number of itemized deductions. Making those changes gives the Commonwealth a tax code that is simpler and fairer. The changes to state sales, income and business taxes will make Massachusetts comparable on taxation to our neighboring states and those with which we compete.

Last week, Governor Patrick unveiled an online map tool that outlines

transportation projects in every community that would be funded under the

Governor’s FY14 budget proposal, as well as the additional Chapter 70 education funding and support for public colleges and universities communities can expect to receive under the Governor’s investment plan. The maps also show how many children in each community are on the waitlist for early education and care programs. As part of the Governor’s investment plan, the 30,000 child waitlist for early education and care programs across the state would be eliminated.

Following the announcement of his investment plan in his January State of the

Commonwealth address, Governor Patrick has been traveling across the state

making the case for business leaders, educators, local elected officials and

members of the public about the importance of investing now in education and

infrastructure to spur job creation and unlock opportunity in every corner of the Commonwealth. For more information on the Governor’s investment plan visit www.mass.gov/governor/choosegrowth.

GOVERNOR PATRICK AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MURRAY VISIT HOMER

STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today visited with students and educators at the Homer Street Elementary School in Springfield to celebrate Black History Month. Throughout the month, the school community has participated in several activities and projects in honor of Black History Month.

“I am proud to join together with these students to celebrate the rich and

diverse history that African-Americans have helped shape here in Massachusetts and around the world. It is important for each and every student to learn about the sacrifices our ancestors made to create a better future for us,” said Governor Patrick. “We must invest in our children to in order to continue this model of generational responsibility for our time and for the next generation.”

the school with teachers and students and watched presentations by students

about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the challenges and sacrifices civil rights activists faced to have equal and fair rights for all.

The Patrick-Murray Administration has hosted Black History Month events in

both Springfield and Boston this year, honoring several significant milestones in 2013 for the Civil Rights Movement. It is the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, the 50th anniversary of the murder of NAACP leader Medgar Evers, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing and President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ birth and the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the construction of the Statue of Freedom atop the United States Capitol Dome.

About Homer Street Elementary School:

Homer Street Elementary School relies on family and community engagement for

academic success and they maintain partnership programs with area colleges

(American International College, Western New England University and Springfield College). The Homer Street School was identified as a Level 4 or “Turnaround” school in 2010 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). In May 2010, then-Superintendent Alan Ingram named Kathleen Sullivan as principal. Ms. Sullivan was re-assigned to the Homer School in order to facilitate significant turnaround at the school. Homer Street School’s MCAS scores have soared each year since its designation as a Level 4 school, and the school was recognized by DESE and Commissioner Chester for the incredible academic gains made by their students

Governor Patrick Announces Major Life Sciences Investment in

Western Massachusetts

Grants to fund lab renovations, equipment and planning for community colleges and vocational schools, and expansion of life sciences capacity at MGHPCC

HOLYOKE – Thursday, February 28, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) today announced more than $9 million in grants for life-sciences-related capital projects in Western Massachusetts, including $3.8 million to support the creation of a Center for Life Sciences at Holyoke Community College (HCC), and $4.54 million that will allow the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) in Holyoke to expand its capacity for life sciences-related research and data analysis. Through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Massachusetts is investing $1 billion over 10 years in the growth of the state’s life sciences supercluster. These investments are being made under Governor Patrick’s Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative.

“Supporting innovation propels our economy forward and prepares our citizens for the 21st century global marketplace,” said Governor Patrick. “Our innovation economy relies on a well-educated, well-skilled workforce, and these grants will expand opportunity and grow jobs in communities throughout the Commonwealth.”

“Our Administration is committed to investing in innovation across the state, including the life sciences industry in Western Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “These capital project investments will enhance research, workforce training and job creation, expand opportunities to develop improved medicine and support the region’s long-term economic growth.”

“Schools like Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College play major roles in training the next generation of our state’s life sciences workforce, and they ensure that training for innovation economy jobs is inclusive and available all across the state,” said Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, President & CEO of the MLSC. “Our grants help ensure that these schools can provide students in Western Massachusetts with first-rate training facilities “Our grant to the MGHPCC leverages prior investments by the state and five of our top universities by expanding the MGHPCC’s capacity to make advanced computing available to the life sciences community.”

The largest grant awarded today went to the MGHPCC. This investment will build on an infrastructure for large-scale data analysis that is already in place in Holyoke and was created by a strong partnership among academia, industry and the Commonwealth. Boston University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts have teamed with Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer, Merck, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, EMC and IBM, among others, to create this computing resource. The MLSC funding of $4.54 million will allow the MGHPCC to create a cloud-based resource for data-driven biology.

“As with other scientific disciplines, discovery and innovation in the life sciences are dependent on high-performance computing,” said John Goodhue, Executive Director of the MGHPCC. “This investment will leverage the capabilities of the MGHPCC and its university partners to strengthen the state's position as a leader in life sciences research, an important driver of the Massachusetts economy. The MLSC's investment will also add a new dimension to the ongoing partnership between the MGHPCC and western Massachusetts business and educational institutions.”

“Biomedical sciences are in the midst of a revolution where many of the challenges are becoming large-scale data problems,” said Manuel Garber, Associate Professor in the Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “The investment in this computer system will poise the state of Massachusetts as a leader in the development of computational methods to understand and a catalytic force in applying these discoveries to improve health care.”

HCC was granted $3.8 million to support the renovation of 13,000 square feet of lab space and the creation of a Center for Life Sciences. This will include a clean room for the biological sciences, which will be the only clean room in Western Massachusetts to support training for students, faculty and industry partners.

“The importance of community colleges in providing access to life sciences education for minority, low-income and first-generation students cannot be overstated,” said HCC President William F. Messner. “This grant will enable us to expand our partnerships and establish a solid pipeline from high school, to college, to the workforce. It will allow HCC to strengthen articulations with Mount Holyoke and Smith College and increase the number of women in life sciences fields. It will provide the college with the resources necessary to support our industry partners, and ensure our curriculum aligns with their needs and equips our graduates with the knowledge and skills they need to pursue further education or enter the workforce.”

“This project at Holyoke Community College is absolutely essential for regional life science economic development,” said Steve Richter, President & Scientific Director of Microtest Labs in Agawam. “The caliber of this project adds to the force required for real change and job development. The focus on microbiology and clean room technology creates value for students and industry. The medical device, biotech and compounding pharmacies will benefit from future graduates.”

The MLSC also awarded two planning grants to academic institutions in the region. These grants allow institutions to propose and develop studies in order to further identify what types of life sciences resources would be most useful to them:

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) was awarded $150,000, which will be used to update its equipment and labs to align with the needs of life sciences companies. MLSC funding will allow STCC to conduct a study to identify the most appropriate equipment that will best deliver a life sciences education leading to employment in the field.

Bay Path College in Longmeadow recently received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education aimed at improving undergraduate student retention, supporting curricular redesign, faculty professional development, and student academic and career support services. The MLSC planning grant of $50,000 will enable Bay Path College to engage key stakeholders from the life sciences industry, workforce development, and educational institutions to identify the capital needs and other resources needed to fully implement this initiative in the sciences at Bay Path College.

“STCC applauds Governor Patrick and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for their investment in life sciences education,” said Dr. Lisa Rapp, Chair of STCC's Biotechnology Department. “STCC's planning grant will allow the college to determine which capital resources we most need to create and furnish up-to-date, industry-aligned, teaching laboratories to educate and train a skilled life sciences workforce for the Commonwealth.”

“We have always been responsive to the workforce development needs of our region. As Bay Path continues to invest and grow our programs in the life sciences, our planning must be conducted in collaboration with the life sciences industry in Massachusetts where our students are most likely to pursue careers, thereby ensuring their success and also enabling the industry as a whole to flourish,” said Dr. Melissa Morriss-Olson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of Bay Path College.

In December, 2012, Lieutenant Governor Murray and the MLSC announced a round of equipment and supply grants for vocational and technical high schools and public high schools in gateway cities, with the idea of furthering STEM education. High schools in Western Massachusetts received more than $500,000 toward lab renovation and equipment. The six schools in Western Massachusetts, the city or town in which they are located, and the amount of their respective grants are as follows:

School

City

Award Amount

Holyoke Public Schools (Dean Technical High School & Holyoke High

School)

Holyoke

$ 195,019.83

Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy

Springfield

$ 100,000.00

Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School

Northampton

$ 100,000.00

Taconic High School

Pittsfield

$ 88,028.74

Westfield High School

Westfield

$ 44,333.00

About the Massachusetts Life Sciences

Center

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is a quasi-public agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts tasked with implementing the Massachusetts Life Sciences Act, a 10-year, $1-billion initiative that was signed into law in June of 2008. The MLSC’s mission is to create jobs in the life sciences and support vital scientific research that will improve the human condition. This work includes making financial investments in public and private institutions that are advancing life sciences research, development and commercialization as well as building ties among sectors of the Massachusetts life sciences community. For more information, visit www.masslifesciences.com.

__________________________________

Get to Recognize Stroke

Symptoms

I URGE ALL MY FRIENDS TO READ & SHARE THIS; YOU COULD SAVE A LOVED ONES LIFE BY KNOWING THIS SIMPLE INFORMATION!!!

Stroke has a new indicator! They say if you ...forward this to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life. Will you send this along? Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue:

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying

herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling

everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and

Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A

SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)(i.e. Chicken Soup)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is

'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

Billerica Clergy and Community leaders coming together to define our challenges and seek solutions re the needs of our community.9:00am.-4:00pm.Food will be served. Jared Koyle contact person.978-987-3426 Koylejr@gmail.com

March 13th,Wednesday Our church will be providing Lentin lunches for the event at the First Congregational Church of Billerica. 18 Andover Road, Billerica Set up-10:00am,Lunch 11:45am.,12:30-1:00pm.,our Bishop Seth Johnson and members of our ward will provide a half hour worship service for the community. Parking in back and enter through back door

GOVERNOR PATRICK MEETS WITH AMBASSADORS FROM IRELAND AND EUROPEAN UNION

Governor Patrick meets with Ambassador of the European Union to the U.S. Joao Vale de Almeida, Ambassador of Ireland to the U.S. Michael Collins and Consul General of Ireland to Boston Michael Lonergan in the Governor's Office. (Photo credit: Eric Haynes / Governor's Office)View more photos

BOSTON – Monday, March 4, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today met with Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the United States João Vale de Almeida, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States Michael Collins and Consul General of Ireland in Boston Michael Lonergan. Ireland currently holds the rotating EU Presidency. The meeting builds on the Patrick-Murray Administration’s commitment to cultivating and expanding the existing relationship between Massachusetts and the EU, its largest trade partner.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Ambassador Vale de Almeida, Ambassador Collins and Consul General Lonergan to Massachusetts,” said Governor Patrick. “Strengthening our ties with the European Union will allow the Commonwealth to compete in the 21st century global economy.”

Prior to becoming Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States in 2010, Ambassador Vale de Almeida served as the Director General for External Relations at the European Commission. He was also Head of Cabinet for European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and before that held a senior position in the Directorate General for Education and Culture. Ambassador Vale de Almeida is originally from Portugal.

Prior to becoming Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States in 2007, Ambassador Collins served as second secretary general at the Department of the Taoiseach, or Irish prime minister. He was also Ireland’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Emirates, and then to the Czech Republic and Ukraine. Collins last visited Boston in February 2012 with Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

The EU, which has the largest GDP in the world at $15.7 trillion, represents 34 percent of Massachusetts’ exports and 27 percent of imports. Supporters believe harmonized standards and regulations between the EU and the U.S. would have a significant effect on GDP growth for both markets.

CONWAY – Monday, March 4, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today joined Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rick Sullivan, Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Commissioner Mary Griffin and state wildlife officials on an expedition to document the newest members of the Commonwealth’s black bear population.

The team discovered two cubs born approximately four to six weeks ago. The cubs, both male, weighed in at approximately six pounds. Based on last year’s breeding status, the Conway bear is one of 16 radio-collared sows believed to have given birth this winter.

While newborn cubs are too small to tag or collar, MassWildlife records each cub’s physical condition, weight and gender. Biologists also check the physical condition of mother bears, as well as the condition and fit of their radio collars.

Information gathered at the den in Conway today adds to that compiled through one of longest, continuous studies of black bears in the United States. DFG’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) began the study with the Massachusetts Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1970.

MassWildlife has been solely responsible for the project since 1999 and is currently examining reproductive success, cub survival, adult female survival and human-bear interactions. Numbering only about 100 bears when the study began, the Massachusetts black bear population has grown to approximately 3,000 today.

Although black bears are becoming more common in central Massachusetts and are occasionally sighted in eastern communities, most of MassWildlife’s bear research takes place west of the Connecticut River. With the aid of radio telemetry, MassWildlife is currently tracking 16 female bears, also known as sows, to determine adult female survival and cub production and survival – key components of the Division’s black bear population model. MassWildlife does not collar male bears, but ear-tags them to provide future knowledge about survival and movement.

Contrary to popular belief, black bears don’t go into true hibernation in winter. Rather, they sleep soundly in their dens from November or December until early March to mid-April, but may wake up to forage in mild weather.

Black bears are found in 43 states. Those in Massachusetts average 230 pounds for males and 140 pounds for females. They are omnivores – eating a variety of foods from vegetation and berries to grubs, insects and carrion – and are excellent climbers, frequently using trees to rest and to protect their young. Black bears mate between mid-June and mid-July and cubs are born in mid- to late-January. Cubs remain in the den until April and stay with their mother for about 17 months. Females typically have their first litter when they are 3-4 years old.

GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES NEW ONLINE TOOL TO SHOW IMPACT OF INVESTMENT PROPOSALS ON A FAMILY’S BUDGET

Approximately half of Massachusetts residents will pay less, or the same under Governor Patrick’s proposal to grow jobs and opportunity

BOSTON – Monday, March 4, 2013– Governor Deval Patrick today unveiled an online tool that shows the impact of the Patrick-Murray Administration Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) budget proposal on an individual or family’s budget. The tool can be found, along with maps that outline the education and transportation plans that will help grow jobs in every corner of the Commonwealth, at www.mass.gov/governor/choosegrowth.

“We are proposing meaningful investments in education and transportation, and people want to know what that means for them,” said Governor Patrick. “Last week, with the maps, we showed what long-postponed projects would get done in each community. Now, with this tool, we show just what the costs or savings will be for individual households.”

Residents will enter information including their annual income and filing status, and will be able to view the impact of the Governor’s proposal on their personal taxes.

"The Governor and I know that asking people to pay more by any type of tax increase is never easy," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. "However, our growth strategy will expand opportunities for this generation and generations to come. As we continue the conversation, we hope this online tool will help residents understand the impact taxes will have on them personally and for the strength of our economy and Commonwealth.”

To support almost $2 billion in meaningful investments that will strengthen the state’s economic future, the FY14 budget calls for the creation of a simpler and fairer tax system that lowers the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent, and raises the income tax to 6.25 percent. All proceeds from the sales tax will be dedicated to a public works fund that will support the Administration’s 21st century transportation plan, as well as the school building fund and other public infrastructure projects, and will be off limits for any other purpose.

To make that increase fair to all according to their ability to pay, the Governor has proposed doubling the personal exemptions for every taxpayer and eliminating a number of itemized deductions. Making those changes gives the Commonwealth a tax code that is simpler and fairer. The changes to state sales, income and business taxes will make Massachusetts comparable on taxation to our neighboring states and those with which we compete.

Last week, Governor Patrick unveiled an online map tool that outlines transportation projects in every community that would be funded under the Governor’s FY14 budget proposal, as well as the additional Chapter 70 education funding and support for public colleges and universities communities can expect to receive under the Governor’s investment plan. The maps also show how many children in each community are on the waitlist for early education and care programs. As part of the Governor’s investment plan, the 30,000 child waitlist for early education and care programs across the state would be eliminated.

Following the announcement of his investment plan in his January State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Patrick has been traveling across the state making the case for business leaders, educators, local elected officials and members of the public about the importance of investing now in education and infrastructure to spur job creation and unlock opportunity in every corner of the Commonwealth. For more information on the Governor’s investment plan visit www.mass.gov/governor/choosegrowth.

SPRINGFIELD – Thursday, February 28, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today visited with students and educators at the Homer Street Elementary School in Springfield to celebrate Black History Month. Throughout the month, the school community has participated in several activities and projects in honor of Black History Month.

“I am proud to join together with these students to celebrate the rich and diverse history that African-Americans have helped shape here in Massachusetts and around the world. It is important for each and every student to learn about the sacrifices our ancestors made to create a better future for us,” said Governor Patrick. “We must invest in our children to in order to continue this model of generational responsibility for our time and for the next generation.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to join Governor Patrick and Homer Street Elementary as we continue to celebrate Black History Month,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “Homer Street Elementary engages students to understand and value a rich history of honored African-American heroes who have touched so many lives, and have left a legacy for future generations to achieve a high quality education and a bright future.”

During today’s visit, Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray toured the school with teachers and students and watched presentations by students about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the challenges and sacrifices civil rights activists faced to have equal and fair rights for all.

The Patrick-Murray Administration has hosted Black History Month events in both Springfield and Boston this year, honoring several significant milestones in 2013 for the Civil Rights Movement. It is the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, the 50th anniversary of the murder of NAACP leader Medgar Evers, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing and President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ birth and the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the construction of the Statue of Freedom atop the United States Capitol Dome.

About Homer Street Elementary School:

Homer Street Elementary School relies on family and community engagement for academic success and they maintain partnership programs with area colleges (American International College, Western New England University and Springfield College). The Homer Street School was identified as a Level 4 or “Turnaround” school in 2010 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). In May 2010, then-Superintendent Alan Ingram named Kathleen Sullivan as principal. Ms. Sullivan was re-assigned to the Homer School in order to facilitate significant turnaround at the school. Homer Street School’s MCAS scores have soared each year since its designation as a Level 4 school, and the school was recognized by DESE and Commissioner Chester for the incredible academic gains made by their students

Governor Patrick Announces Major Life Sciences Investment in Western Massachusetts

Grants to fund lab renovations, equipment and planning for community colleges and vocational schools, and expansion of life sciences capacity at MGHPCC

HOLYOKE – Thursday, February 28, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) today announced more than $9 million in grants for life-sciences-related capital projects in Western Massachusetts, including $3.8 million to support the creation of a Center for Life Sciences at Holyoke Community College (HCC), and $4.54 million that will allow the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) in Holyoke to expand its capacity for life sciences-related research and data analysis. Through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Massachusetts is investing $1 billion over 10 years in the growth of the state’s life sciences supercluster. These investments are being made under Governor Patrick’s Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative.

“Supporting innovation propels our economy forward and prepares our citizens for the 21st century global marketplace,” said Governor Patrick. “Our innovation economy relies on a well-educated, well-skilled workforce, and these grants will expand opportunity and grow jobs in communities throughout the Commonwealth.”

“Our Administration is committed to investing in innovation across the state, including the life sciences industry in Western Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “These capital project investments will enhance research, workforce training and job creation, expand opportunities to develop improved medicine and support the region’s long-term economic growth.”

“Schools like Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College play major roles in training the next generation of our state’s life sciences workforce, and they ensure that training for innovation economy jobs is inclusive and available all across the state,” said Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, President & CEO of the MLSC. “Our grants help ensure that these schools can provide students in Western Massachusetts with first-rate training facilities “Our grant to the MGHPCC leverages prior investments by the state and five of our top universities by expanding the MGHPCC’s capacity to make advanced computing available to the life sciences community.”

The largest grant awarded today went to the MGHPCC. This investment will build on an infrastructure for large-scale data analysis that is already in place in Holyoke and was created by a strong partnership among academia, industry and the Commonwealth. Boston University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts have teamed with Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer, Merck, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, EMC and IBM, among others, to create this computing resource. The MLSC funding of $4.54 million will allow the MGHPCC to create a cloud-based resource for data-driven biology.

“As with other scientific disciplines, discovery and innovation in the life sciences are dependent on high-performance computing,” said John Goodhue, Executive Director of the MGHPCC. “This investment will leverage the capabilities of the MGHPCC and its university partners to strengthen the state's position as a leader in life sciences research, an important driver of the Massachusetts economy. The MLSC's investment will also add a new dimension to the ongoing partnership between the MGHPCC and western Massachusetts business and educational institutions.”

“Biomedical sciences are in the midst of a revolution where many of the challenges are becoming large-scale data problems,” said Manuel Garber, Associate Professor in the Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “The investment in this computer system will poise the state of Massachusetts as a leader in the development of computational methods to understand and a catalytic force in applying these discoveries to improve health care.”

HCC was granted $3.8 million to support the renovation of 13,000 square feet of lab space and the creation of a Center for Life Sciences. This will include a clean room for the biological sciences, which will be the only clean room in Western Massachusetts to support training for students, faculty and industry partners.

“The importance of community colleges in providing access to life sciences education for minority, low-income and first-generation students cannot be overstated,” said HCC President William F. Messner. “This grant will enable us to expand our partnerships and establish a solid pipeline from high school, to college, to the workforce. It will allow HCC to strengthen articulations with Mount Holyoke and Smith College and increase the number of women in life sciences fields. It will provide the college with the resources necessary to support our industry partners, and ensure our curriculum aligns with their needs and equips our graduates with the knowledge and skills they need to pursue further education or enter the workforce.”

“This project at Holyoke Community College is absolutely essential for regional life science economic development,” said Steve Richter, President & Scientific Director of Microtest Labs in Agawam. “The caliber of this project adds to the force required for real change and job development. The focus on microbiology and clean room technology creates value for students and industry. The medical device, biotech and compounding pharmacies will benefit from future graduates.”

The MLSC also awarded two planning grants to academic institutions in the region. These grants allow institutions to propose and develop studies in order to further identify what types of life sciences resources would be most useful to them:

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) was awarded $150,000, which will be used to update its equipment and labs to align with the needs of life sciences companies. MLSC funding will allow STCC to conduct a study to identify the most appropriate equipment that will best deliver a life sciences education leading to employment in the field.

Bay Path College in Longmeadow recently received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education aimed at improving undergraduate student retention, supporting curricular redesign, faculty professional development, and student academic and career support services. The MLSC planning grant of $50,000 will enable Bay Path College to engage key stakeholders from the life sciences industry, workforce development, and educational institutions to identify the capital needs and other resources needed to fully implement this initiative in the sciences at Bay Path College.

“STCC applauds Governor Patrick and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for their investment in life sciences education,” said Dr. Lisa Rapp, Chair of STCC's Biotechnology Department. “STCC's planning grant will allow the college to determine which capital resources we most need to create and furnish up-to-date, industry-aligned, teaching laboratories to educate and train a skilled life sciences workforce for the Commonwealth.”

“We have always been responsive to the workforce development needs of our region. As Bay Path continues to invest and grow our programs in the life sciences, our planning must be conducted in collaboration with the life sciences industry in Massachusetts where our students are most likely to pursue careers, thereby ensuring their success and also enabling the industry as a whole to flourish,” said Dr. Melissa Morriss-Olson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of Bay Path College.

In December, 2012, Lieutenant Governor Murray and the MLSC announced a round of equipment and supply grants for vocational and technical high schools and public high schools in gateway cities, with the idea of furthering STEM education. High schools in Western Massachusetts received more than $500,000 toward lab renovation and equipment. The six schools in Western Massachusetts, the city or town in which they are located, and the amount of their respective grants are as follows:

School

City

Award Amount

Holyoke Public Schools (Dean Technical High School & Holyoke High School)

Holyoke

$ 195,019.83

Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy

Springfield

$ 100,000.00

Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School

Northampton

$ 100,000.00

Taconic High School

Pittsfield

$ 88,028.74

Westfield High School

Westfield

$ 44,333.00

About the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is a quasi-public agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts tasked with implementing the Massachusetts Life Sciences Act, a 10-year, $1-billion initiative that was signed into law in June of 2008. The MLSC’s mission is to create jobs in the life sciences and support vital scientific research that will improve the human condition. This work includes making financial investments in public and private institutions that are advancing life sciences research, development and commercialization as well as building ties among sectors of the Massachusetts life sciences community. For more information, visit www.masslifesciences.com.

__________________________________

Get to Recognize Stroke Symptoms

I URGE ALL MY FRIENDS TO READ & SHARE THIS; YOU COULD SAVE A LOVED ONES LIFE BY KNOWING THIS SIMPLE INFORMATION!!!

Stroke has a new indicator! They say if you ...forward this to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life. Will you send this along? Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue:

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and

Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A

SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)(i.e. Chicken Soup)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is

'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

02/20/2013

Clarke is reaching more children with hearing loss, their families and the professionals who serve them than ever before. Recently, thanks to a generous grant from the Grossman Family Foundation, that number has the potential to increase exponentially.

Many families living outside large metropolitan areas, or those with other transportation challenges, have long been unable to access Clarke’s critical intervention services. Distance, travel time, and complex logistics were barriers that precluded many children from receiving ongoing services. But, tVISITs (Telepractice Virtual

Intervention Services for Infants and Toddlers) have changed all

that.

Launched last spring, tVISITs enable early intervention professionals to videoconference directly with parents and children using simple technology consisting of a computer and a webcam. Interacting in real time, an educator coaches and helps parents apply effective and engaging strategies that promote listening and spoken language development.

Ken Riley’s daughter, 18-month old Kayla, has been receiving tVISITS for several months via Clarke’s Boston-area location. “In the first session,” Riley said, “Kayla engaged right away with the teacher on the screen. She even checked behind the monitor to see where the

teacher was!” Little did Kayla know that her teacher of the deaf was miles away.

The program is a collaborative effort between Clarke Boston and the Capital Region Educational Council (CREC) Soundbridge in Connecticut. tVISITS fill a critical need not only for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing , but also for the professionals that serve

them. Families are provided with critical early intervention services that they would otherwise not have had access to, and through a series of educational webinars, the program is expanding the field’s limited pool of professional development resources as well.

Barbara Hecht, Director of Clarke Boston, explains: “As we move from a center-based model to a family-centered coaching model, tVISITs are increasing access to expert services and closing gaps in state early intervention programs. The program is improving professional practice and addressing the significant shortage and insufficient training of specialized professionals. The benefits to families and the potential systems change we expect from these distance services are quite significant.”

Hecht points out that distance is not the sole factor that prevents families from gaining access to services. “Last year,” she recounted, “one family stopped their son’s face-to-face early intervention services because it was too overwhelming to fit the trip into all of his many medical visits. However, once we explained this new program to the family -- and they understood that they did not need to travel to yet

anotherappointment -- their son began to receive speech and

language therapy at home, via their computer. Additionally, the parents were reconnected to a network of professionals that they had come to trust and rely upon. ”

Hecht and her team are mindful of how valuable the program is to the field of oral deaf education, so each session is recorded and itself becomes a highly useful tool for educational review and commentary. The team is also aware that many families may not be able to afford the necessary technology to use tVISITS, so for those families,

video-enabled laptops and/or short-term Internet services are

provided.

Included in the tVISIT program is another exciting tool designed to

increase the numbers of professionals who can gain valuable insight from

first-ever webinar series. The first of four seminars, Childhood Hearing in the 21st Century, An Introduction to Recent Discoveries in Infant Hearing Loss featured Clarke staff, Janice Gatty, Ph.D. and Barbara Hecht, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Cole, Ed.D. (CREC Soundbridge). More than 200 registrants participated, 90% of whom cited an increase in knowledge of the topic after the session. The second seminar, From The Ears To The Brain: Auditory Perception In Infants And Toddlers And The Development Of The Listening Brain, had over 300 registrants.

Summing up the program, Hecht says, “tVISITs have proven to be a smart and cost-effective strategy on all fronts. Families gain access to services they so desperately need, and professionals gain access to some of the most sought-after leaders in their field. It’s a perfect fit.”

##

Clarke provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Annually, more than 1.000 children and their families benefit from programs and services at our five campus locations: Boston,

Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia.

Clarke impacts the lives of children and adults through educational and early childhood programs, hearing services, mainstream services, research, curriculum development and the teachers and professionals trained by Clarke who take their special skills to all parts of the world. http://clarkeschools.org

BOSTON – Thursday, February 14, 2013 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today joined U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) New England Regional Administrator Barbara Fields and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Regional Director Christie Hager to announce a $5.3 million award to the Patrick-Murray Administration’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as part of the state’s effort to increase supportive housing units and help hundreds of residents with disabilities avoid homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization.

DHCD will use this federal funding to offer rental assistance to 100 extremely low-income persons with disabilities, many of whom are transitioning out of institutional settings or are at extreme risk of homelessness. This funding offers permanent housing and critically needed supportive services to ensure these at-risk individuals find their place within the fabric of their community. In addition to the 100 units funded by HUD’s Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (PRA Demo), DHCD has committed 50 vouchers that will provide a rent subsidy to the same population.

“Governor Patrick and I have set an ambitious housing and homelessness agenda, including a goal to collaborate across 18 state agencies to create an additional 1,000 units of permanent, supportive housing in Massachusetts by 2015,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, chair of the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness. “We thank HUD for providing this significant funding that will jumpstart our efforts in preventing and ending homelessness for residents with disabilities by securing housing assistance and supportive services through these new units.”

The HUD funding announced today is part of $98 million awarded nationwide to 13 state housing agencies for rental assistance to extremely low-income persons with disabilities, many of whom are transitioning out of institutional settings or are at extreme risk of homelessness. HUD’s Section 811 PRA Demo program enables persons with disabilities who earn less than 30 percent of median income to live in integrated mainstream settings. The state housing agencies are working closely with their state Medicaid and health and human service counterparts to identify, refer and conduct outreach to persons with disabilities who require long-term services and supports to live independently.

“This funding and collaborative effort will have a tremendous impact here in Massachusetts,” said HUD New England Regional Administrator Barbara Fields. “We’re proud to be a partner in providing permanent supportive housing solutions to persons with disabilities here in the Commonwealth.”

“These added resources will go a long way in ensuring that the most vulnerable of our neighbors across Massachusetts have roofs over their heads and the supportive services they need on a daily basis,” said Senator William “Mo” Cowan. “I’m grateful to the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor for their hard work in fighting for issues critical to our state.”

“These funds will help provide affordable housing and supportive services for low income individuals with disabilities,” said Congressman Mike Capuano. “It will give folks the opportunity to live on their own in the community, enhancing their quality of life and increasing their independence. This is exactly the type of program threatened by the sequester and I am proud to have played a role protecting this program and helping the state win this grant.”

Today’s funding award follows Lieutenant Governor Murray’s announcement in December 2012, launching a first-in-the-nation collaborative effort by 18 state agencies to create an additional 1,000 units of permanent, supportive housing in Massachusetts by 2015. The 18 Massachusetts agencies involved in a memorandum of understanding will partner to improve existing processes, make recommendations for new, collaborative efforts and develop a long-range action plan to meet the need for supportive housing among the Commonwealth’s residents. Additionally, the agencies will assess the extent of public cost-savings generated as a result of providing permanent supportive housing and will recommend strategic reinvestments.

DHCD and the Patrick-Murray Administration’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services, which oversees the state’s Medicaid Agency and the Office of Disability Policies and Programs, have partnered on a number of highly effective service-enriched housing programs and will now work together on HUD’s Section 811 PRA Demo program. The proposed program is deliberately designed to be cross disability, serving a range of people with different disabilities and service needs, particularly participants in the new Medicaid Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program (a five year grant program funded by the federal Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services that supports elders and people with disabilities). Of the 100 units to be developed, 50 percent are projected to be in the greater Boston area and the remaining percentage of units will be located throughout the state.

“Funding for affordable housing is critical to accomplishing the goals of the Governor’s Community First agenda,” said HHS Secretary John Polanowicz. “The pairing of this funding with the long term services and supports through our Medicaid programs will ensure that more people can successfully transition out of institutional settings into the community.”

"This is an important next step in our goal to create 1,000 units of supportive housing over the next three years,” said DHCD Undersecretary Aaron Gornstein. “We look forward to working with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services on this unprecedented collaboration to create more housing options for people with disabilities."

Authorized under the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010, HUD’s Section 811 PRA Demo program provides funding to states for project-based rental assistance to develop permanent affordable housing options in integrated settings for extremely low-income persons with disabilities. Under the state health care/housing agency partnership, each state has in place a policy for referrals, tenant selection and service delivery to ensure that this housing is targeted to those persons with disabilities most deeply in need of affordable supportive housing.

To learn more about the Patrick-Murray Administration’s investments in affordable and supportive housing, visit www.mass.gov/dhcd.

02/19/2013

This is my sister Sandy and her daughter Lilly. They have not been seen or heard from since Monday February 11th. She was last seen in Malden around 4:00 pm. She was driving a silver/grey Honda Accord. I think the license plate # is 21Y W22. Please keep an eye out. If you see the vehicle, Sandy, or her daughter please message me or call the police. Please repost.

BOSTON – Thursday, February 14, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced he will lead a coalition of the Commonwealth’s business executives and government leaders on a Massachusetts – Colombia Innovation Partnership Mission to promote job creation and expand economic opportunity in the Commonwealth. Colombia has a thriving innovation, life sciences and clean energy economy, and this mission will strengthen the Commonwealth’s partnership with Colombia and help create collaboration that will spur job creation in Massachusetts. The trip comes less than a year after the United States signed a free trade agreement with Colombia, opening up an estimated $1.1 billion market for U.S. exports; and continues the Commonwealth's reach into Latin America following recent missions to Brazil and Chile.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Massachusetts to compete for jobs on the global playing field,” said Governor Patrick. “We cannot afford to sit idle as our competitors develop the partnerships and secure the investments that will create jobs in the innovation industries where we already have an advantage - life sciences, clean energy, and the digital technologies.”

“Massachusetts is a world leader on innovation, precisely one of the key drivers of President Santos’s progressive economic agenda,” said Carlos Urrutia, Colombian Ambassador to the United States. “We are pleased to be partnering with the Commonwealth to foster innovation industries, strengthen Colombia’s research capabilities and support job creation in our respective economies.”

From February 16-19, the Massachusetts-Colombia Innovation Partnership Mission will include stops in several cities throughout the country including Bogota and Cartagena. Over the course of the mission, the Governor and his delegation will meet with top Colombian government and business leaders including Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon, Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Carlos Pinzon, Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, the Vice Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, and President of the Port Society of Cartagena Captain Alfonson Salas Trujillo. The Governor will also meet with the two national entities tasked with promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and research in Colombia: Colciencias and InnPulsa Colombia, and Colombia’s national cabinet-level department tasked with developing and implementing policies to strengthen the innovation economy.

The Massachusetts-Colombia Connection:

With Latin America’s fourth largest population and third largest economy, Colombia is one of the world’s most rapidly emerging markets. Colombia’s economy has experienced sustained growth in both the near and long-term, with national Gross Domestic Product doubling within the past ten years and topping Brazil in job creation last quarter. Microsoft, RIM, HP and Genpact have all made major investments in Colombia recently, fostering a strong job market in the digital technology and innovation economy. Over 24 percent of all Colombian graduate students are pursuing a degree in the life sciences fields, ranking Colombia among the highest in the world for graduate students studying to enter the life sciences sector.

Like Massachusetts, Colombia also has a strong medical device market, and this mission offers increased collaboration in the industry. The Massachusetts medical device industry employs almost 25,000 people in 400 medical device companies across the Commonwealth, and is responsible for creating more than 80,000 jobs in related industries.

"As companies headquartered in Massachusetts look to expand their market share in Latin America, Colombia is emerging as an important economic gateway, particularly in innovation, security, logistics, and development opportunities. Massachusetts will be among the first US states to lead a trade mission to Colombia, presenting Massachusetts companies with a distinctive edge as they compete to establish ties with Colombia," said Dan O'Connell, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership.

Several Massachusetts companies, particularly in the clean energy sector, have already experienced success in Colombia, including Big Belly trash compactors, Boston-headquartered hydro company Mavel and New Bedford electric vehicle company Vectrix. Colombia, like Massachusetts, is committed to growing its clean energy economy, and this mission will open new opportunities for collaboration on clean energy projects in the two countries.

Colombia has also recently launched Vive Digital, a program aimed at doubling national household internet connectivity within four years. Vive Digital parallels the work underway by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute to close the digital divide in Massachusetts and expand broadband availability in the underserved areas of Massachusetts.

Free Trade Agreement:

The United States and Colombia signed a Free Trade Agreement in May 2012, eliminating tariffs and other barriers to U.S. exports, expanding trade and promoting economic partnerships for the two countries. The International Trade Commission (ITC) has estimated that the tariff reductions in the Agreement will expand exports of U.S. goods alone by more than $1.1 billion, supporting thousands of additional American jobs. The ITC also projected that the Agreement will increase U.S. GDP by $2.5 billion.

Last year, Massachusetts exported approximately $81.5 million to Colombia, making it the Commonwealth’s 5th largest trade partner in Latin America and 33rd overall. The Commonwealth’s exports to Colombia increased by 12.5 percent over the same period in 2011.

Previous Innovation Missions Result in Business Expansion:

In March 2011, Governor Patrick led a coalition of the Commonwealth’s leaders on a mission to Israel and the United Kingdom. Following the mission, UK-based companies Cambridge Consultants, Sagentia and TotalMobile announced plans to expand and add jobs in Massachusetts. Israeli biotech firm EarlySense also announced it is adding jobs and establishing its U.S. headquarters in Waltham.

In December of 2011, Governor Patrick led a coalition of state government, education and business leaders on a trade mission to Brazil and Chile. The delegation visited Brazilian companies, universities and government leaders to highlight all that Massachusetts has to offer to Brazil. The mission focused on creating jobs in the life sciences, IT, clean energy and education sectors and solidifying the already strong Massachusetts-Brazil connection. During the trade mission to Chile and Brazil, Governor Patrick signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chile President Sebastian Pinera that expands collaboration between Massachusetts and Chile in the areas of clean energy, biotechnology and education; participated in EMC’s groundbreaking of a new Big Data facility at Federal University in Rio de Janeiro; announced an agreement between Massachusetts-based Akamai and Sky Brasil, a Brazilian television subscription company, to bring online video rental services to the country; and announced an academic exchanges program between faculty and students from Brazilian and American Universities, including the University of Massachusetts system.

"Many AIM member companies want to increase and diversify their markets,” said Kristen Rupert, Executive Director of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts International Business Council. “The best way to do that is meeting face-to-face with potential partners and government and business leaders. From our participation in the Brazil trade mission in 2011, we learned that doors open when traveling with Governor Patrick. We look forward to identifying business opportunities for Massachusetts companies in Colombia."

The Massachusetts-Columbia Innovation Partnership Mission will build on these successes and help Massachusetts reap the benefits of partnership in trade, investment and job growth with Colombia for years to come.

Official Delegation:

Governor Deval Patrick

Diane Patrick, First Lady of Massachusetts

Secretary Greg Bialecki, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development

GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES THREE JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

BOSTON – Wednesday, February 13, 2013 – Governor Patrick today announced three judicial nominations: Robert L. Ullmann as an Associate Justice of the Superior Court; Gloria Y. Tan as an Associate Justice of the Juvenile Court, Middlesex County Division; and Jonathan R. Tynes as an Associate Justice of the Boston Municipal Court, Roxbury Division.

“I am honored to appoint these distinguished attorneys to serve on the trial courts,” said Governor Patrick. “They will bring to the bench extraordinary legal expertise, excellent judicial temperament and demonstrated commitment to the fair administration of justice. I thank them for their willingness to serve the Commonwealth as members of the judiciary.”

Robert Ullmann has been a partner at Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP in Boston since 1995, handling criminal litigation and complex civil matters. His legal career began in 1981 with a clerkship at the New Jersey Supreme Court. After two years in private practice in New York City and two years in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Ullmann joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston in 1987. There he served as Chief of the Criminal Division and as First Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2008, he was appointed by Judge Mark Wolf to chair a committee of prosecutors and defense attorneys to recommend improvements to the local rules for federal criminal investigations. Ullmann is an adjunct professor of criminal procedure at Boston College Law School. He is a graduate of Harvard College (A.B. magna cum laude, 1977) and Harvard Law School (J.D., 1981). He resides in Brookline. If confirmed, Ullmann will fill the vacancy on the Superior Court created by the appointment of the Honorable Geraldine S. Hines to the Appeals Court.

Gloria Tan has served as the Deputy Director of the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School since 2011. She began her legal career at the Committee for Public Counsel Services, where she worked as an attorney in the Boston trial unit from 1998 to 1999 and in the Youth Advocacy Project from 1999 to 2003. Tan has been a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School since 2003, teaching and supervising law students who represent indigent adult and juvenile clients in criminal and delinquency cases and administrative hearings. She is a member of the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee and the Board of Directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. Tan is a graduate of Rice University (B.A. magna cum laude, 1995) and Yale Law School (J.D., 1998). She resides in Newton. Tan is slated to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Margaret S. Feary.

Jonathan Tynes serves as the Chief Assistant District Attorney in the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court, a position he has held since 2006. He began his career in the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office in 1999 as a prosecutor in the Boston Municipal Court, and also worked as a member of the Homicide Response Team and the Superior Court General Felony Unit. From 2004 to 2006, Tynes worked as an Assistant City Solicitor in Cambridge, where he handled civil litigation matters. He is an active community member, serving as an assistant football coach at Randolph High School and as a volunteer for youth sports, Special Olympics and a youth anti-violence program. In 2009, Tynes received the Brian Honan Award for Excellence in the Courtroom and the Community. He is a graduate of Mount Ida College (B.A. summa cum laude, 1994) and Northeastern University School of Law (J.D., 1997). He resides in Holbrook. If confirmed, Tynes will fill the vacancy on the BMC created by the retirement of the Honorable Edward R. Redd.

BOSTON- Tuesday, February 12, 2013 - Governor Deval Patrick today visited the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's (MassDOT) Highway Operations Center (HOC) to thank employees for their continuing role during the Blizzard of 2013. Operator stations and the MassDOT Storm Desk were manned 24/7 during blizzard. The Storm Desk is tasked with logging the equipment, personnel and snow plow vendors working to treat and clear highways across the Commonwealth. Before and during the height of the storm, the HOC worked to program highway message boards around the Commonwealth to provide critical travel information. Operators continue to monitor storm recovery operations and are dispatching snow removal crews and taking reports from the public on sections of highway still requiring attention. The HOC will play a critical role informing the public when it is safe to return to peak-hour breakdown lane travel on I-95 and along Route 3.

The HOC is charged with detecting roadway incidents, receiving reports of roadway incidents, and coordinating traffic operations, maintenance and emergency response activities with MassDOT personnel and other agencies such as the State Police and local fire departments.

PATRICK-MURRAY ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $2.25 MILLION IN COMMUNITY INNOVATION CHALLENGE GRANTS FOR MUNICIPALITIES, REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PLANNING AGENCIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON – Tuesday, February 12, 2013 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray and Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor today announced the 27 recipients of the $2.25 million Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant program to incentivize and support innovative regionalization and other cost saving initiatives. These programs will change the way local governments do business to maintain service delivery and stretch every tax payer dollar as far as possible.

The 27 recipients of the FY 2013 CIC grant program span 162 cities and towns. The project recipients reflect geographic and income diversity across the Commonwealth, including several Gateway Cities.

“The first round of the Community Innovation Challenge Grant program was a success, attracting wide interest by municipalities and planning agencies to develop regionalization and innovation strategies on the local level,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “We’re excited to continue this program with the second round of award recipients who have all proposed more innovative opportunities and cost-saving measures to collaborate, regionalize and maintain valuable local services.”

“Our new fiscal reality demands that government change the way it does business to stretch every taxpayer dollar as far as possible,” said Secretary Shor. “The Patrick-Murray Administration’s CIC grant program is just one of the many ways we are working to give cities and towns the tools they need to drive change in local government. I am excited that the second round of this program will provide for the continuation and expansion of some really great programs and jump-start brand new ones.”

Regionalization is an opportunity for neighboring communities to build partnerships to engage in shared services, inter-municipal agreements, municipal collaborations, consolidations, mutual aid and regional planning to reduce the risk of duplicating efforts and unnecessary spending of limited taxpayer dollars. With 351 cities and towns spanning the Commonwealth, there are countless ways to collaborate and work together to maintain important local services and deliver those services effectively and efficiently.

The CIC grant program is one more example of the kind of reforms the Patrick-Murray Administration has made in challenging fiscal times to make government more effective and efficient. CICG provides incentives, such as technical assistance, training and other one-time or transition funding for municipal leaders to work together to pursue innovative ways to deliver critical services to taxpayers more efficiently. Ideal projects for the grant program include those with the potential for greatest impact, high levels of innovation and substantial potential cost savings for municipalities.

“I commend the Patrick-Murray Administration for their continued support in securing funds for the Community Innovation Challenge Grant Program,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo. “As the cities and towns across the Commonwealth begin to emerge from this economic downturn, it remains important that state leaders continue to find ways to make government more effective and efficient.”

In the FY 2012 budget, Governor Patrick authorized the development of a competitive grant program to encourage and incentivize regionalization based upon the belief that the most crucial and visible interactions between government and citizen occur locally. A grant program was proposed in the Governor’s budget, and supported by the Legislature, providing $4 million for regionalization and other initiatives that will improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of local services. In FY 2012, the Patrick-Murray Administration invested in 27 projects across the Commonwealth. These projects involved 138 cities and towns and are currently being finished. The results and outcomes of each project will be shared with the general public this summer on the ANF website.

FY 2013 Community Innovation Challenge Grant Recipients:

Education

Creating in District Programs for Students with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Disorders ($110,800)School districts of the towns of Agawam, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Ludlow, and West Springfield; Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District; Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District

Berkshire County Curriculum Frameworks Project($89,520)Central Berkshire Regional School District (Lead); Adams-Cheshire Regional School District; Berkshire Hills Regional School District; Northern Berkshire Vocational Technical School District; Southern Berkshire Regional School District; The public school districts of the towns of Clarksburg, Florida, Savoy, Lee, and Lenox

Expanding Regional Services for Students with Dyslexia($73,000)Manchester-Essex Regional School District

Regionalizing Technology Support Services($52,037)School districts of the Towns of Richmond (Lead), Hancock, and New Ashford

Expansion of the Southeast Fire Department Electronic Records and Permitting Collaborative ($75,000)Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) (Lead); City of Fall River; Towns of North Attleborough, Seekonk, Marion, Westport, and Fairhaven

Municipal Open Checkbook System ($120,000)Cities of Woburn (Lead), Chelsea, Chicopee, and Revere; Town of Brookline

02/02/2013

Benevolent Asian Jade Society of New England Prepares for Annual New Year’s Banquet and 30thAnniversary Celebration

BOSTON— The Benevolent

Asian Jade Society (BAJS) of New England will host its annual Chinese New Year Banquet on March 8, 2013. The Banquet will start at 6pm at the Empire Garden Restaurant, 690 Washington Street, Boston.

2013, Year of the Snake, marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of the BAJS of New England, which began with eight Asian American Boston Police officers and an idea: to provide a fraternity for Asian American police officers to share their common interests and to network with the other Asian American law

enforcement associations.

The banquet is designed to celebrate the Chinese New Year and BAJS’s 30thanniversary, but also to honor our founding members who provided the vision and hard work to establish and grow the organization. There will be traditional Chinese performances such as lion dances, martial art performances and Chinese folk dances. Attendees will also have a chance to win raffle prizes and participate in a silent auction.

The Benevolent Asian Jade Society of New England is comprised of law enforcement officers of all ethnicities that work to promote community service in diverse communities all over New England. JADE is part of the National Asian Peace Officers Association (NAPOA) which is comprised of Federal, State and Local Officers. NAPOA works in conjunction with other diverse police associations that promote diversity in the workforce and conduct grassroots community

in Massachusetts 5th Congressional District, the seat being currently occupied by Ed Markey.

Frank was born and raised in Malden, MA and graduated from Williams

College. He earned his ALM (Master of Liberal Arts) from the Harvard Extension School, MBA & MS from the University of Maryland and MS in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. For six years, Frank worked and taught in biomedical research as a doctoral candidate and fellow in Molecular and Cell Biology with dissertation advisor Nobel laureate Marshall Nirenberg at the National Institutes of Health.

He graduated from Suffolk University Law School where he received his JD and then Master of Laws in Biomedicine and Health Law. Frank teaches law and public policy at Northeastern and life sciences and medical ethics at local colleges. Since graduating from Williams, and continuously during his career, Frank owned and operated several businesses. Currently he has a private law practice, an educational company and manages a real estate

As many of you anticipated, I now formally announce my candidacy for U.S. Representative in Massachusetts 5th

District.

Our team and I will continue the fight for common sense and balanced representation in Washington D.C. for the people of the 5th District and this Commonwealth. I will work tirelessly towards our goal of smaller government, lowering debt and deficits and protecting taxpayers' money from reckless and irresponsible spending behavior that became the new

norm.

Currently, I am campaigning for the 2014 election. However, shall this position (now occupied by Rep. Ed Markey) open up early and a special election is announced, I am certainly prepared to enter that

race.

I invite you to get active and involved with our campaign. I thank the people who spent their time and financial resources to support my candidacy in the last cycle and hope your support will continue.

02/02/2013

Benevolent Asian Jade Society of New England Prepares for Annual New Year’s Banquet and 30thAnniversary Celebration

BOSTON— The Benevolent

Asian Jade Society (BAJS) of New England will host its annual Chinese New Year Banquet on March 8, 2013. The Banquet will start at 6pm at the Empire Garden Restaurant, 690 Washington Street, Boston.

2013, Year of the Snake, marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of the BAJS of New England, which began with eight Asian American Boston Police officers and an idea: to provide a fraternity for Asian American police officers to share their
common interests and to network with the other Asian American law
enforcement associations.

The banquet is designed to celebrate the Chinese New Year and BAJS’s 30thanniversary, but also to honor our founding members who provided the vision and hard work to establish and grow the organization. There will be traditional Chinese performances such as lion dances, martial art performances and Chinese folk dances. Attendees will also have a chance to win raffle prizes and participate in a silent auction.

The Benevolent Asian Jade Society of New England is comprised of law enforcement officers of all ethnicities that work to promote community service in diverse communities all over New England. JADE is part of the National Asian Peace Officers Association (NAPOA) which is comprised of Federal, State and Local Officers. NAPOA works in conjunction with other diverse police associations that promote diversity in the workforce and conduct grassroots community

01/31/2013

IN BARRE, PLAN TO CREATE JOBS AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES

BARRE - Wednesday, January 30, 2013 - Building on his call for renewed investments in transportation and education in this month’s State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Deval Patrick today joined Senator Stephen Brewer to highlight the Administration’s investments in Barre as a key component of a plan to grow jobs and expand economic opportunity.

“Opportunity is too important to leave to chance, but opportunity requires growth and growth requires investment,” said Governor Patrick. “In Barre and in every corner of the Commonwealth, investments we have made are paying off by putting people back to work and expanding economic opportunity. Working with our partners in the legislature, business community and cities and towns, we can build on these and create a stronger Commonwealth for this generation, and the next.”

In Barre, state infrastructure investments totaling $1.25 million in MassWorks grants have been used to overhaul town drainage systems and replace the Dicks Brooks culvert. Completed in October 2012, the project has helped alleviate flooding issues that have plagued the center of town and the library for years with the replacement of waterlines and drainage systems and reconstructed sidewalks. Previously, large rainstorms would create flooding issues in the center of town, most notably in March 2011 when Route 122 was underwater for more than 12 hours during a heavy rainfall. Since 2005, the children’s room at the Woods Memorial Library has been flooded three times because of poor drainage.

“It is a great opportunity to have the Governor visit Barre and to be able to show him what this MassWorks Grant made possible,” said Senator Stephen Brewer. “The repair of the Dick’s Brook Culvert made essential improvements to the flow around the Barre Common, the new drainage system is key to preventing costly flooding issues for local businesses. This investment is critical to the future of the town’s economic development and similar infrastructure investments across the state will continue to strengthen the Massachusetts economy.”

"The revitalization of the Barre Center and Woods Memorial Library is yet another example of the Patrick-Murray Administration's ongoing commitment to public infrastructure investments and the success of programs like MassWorks,” said Senator Gale D. Candaras, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. “If we want to attract businesses and jobs, we need to ensure that we are making informed investments to our transportation infrastructure to get people to work as well as to public facilities such as libraries, which play a vital role in workforce development through the offering of adult education classes and access to the internet and job search engines.”

“I am grateful to the Patrick administration for providing necessary resources to repair a problem that has plagued the town for so many years,” said Representative Anne Gobi. “The Barre Common area is beautiful, and these improvements below the surface will protect property and enhance the Common.”

“Continued economic growth requires continued investment in infrastructure,” said Representative Joseph F. Wagner, chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. “Through the MassWorks program, the legislature and administration have partnered to target infrastructure investment toward projects that also yield substantial economic development benefits. This investment is a critical component of our broader economic development strategy.”

Last week, Governor Patrick unveiled a budget proposal that includes new investments in education, innovation and infrastructure, areas that have proven to create new jobs and economic opportunities through increased public investments for every part of the Commonwealth. This includes an additional $19.25 million in the MassWorks program, which would have up to $88.1 million in funding available in Fiscal Year 2014 for cities and towns. In 2012, the Patrick-Murray Administration delivered $38 million to 26 projects across the Commonwealth through MassWorks.

The Governor’s plan includes a $1 billion annual investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system to maintain the current transportation assets we have today and launch a number of high-impact transportation projects across Massachusetts that, if built, will create thousands of jobs and spur economic development across the Commonwealth. The plan also includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years, to expand access to high quality educational opportunities and make higher education more affordable for all students in Massachusetts.

One of the five main missions of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s long-term economic development plan is empowering communities and regions to stimulate development and job creation opportunities, and one of the main engines of that effort is the MassWorks Infrastructure Grant Program. The plan’s central focuses also include supporting the innovation economy, improving cost competitiveness and making it easier for businesses to operate, and continue to build a strong, well-trained talent base.

GRAND OPENING OF ALBERT SHERMAN CENTER AT UMASS MEDICAL SCHOOL

$90 million capital grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center is the Center’s largest investment to date

WORCESTER – Jan. 30, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today joined UMass leadership, educators and state and local officials to celebrate the grand opening of the new Albert Sherman Center at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Built in partnership with the University of Massachusetts Building Authority and funded in part with a $90 million grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, investments of this kind are a key component of the Governor’s plan to grow jobs and expand economic opportunity.

“Our investments in education, innovation and infrastructure have come together to support the completion of the Albert Sherman Center here at UMass Medical School,” said Governor Patrick. “This landmark project is a testament to what is possible when we work together to invest in this generation and the next.”

“As we continue to invest in innovation in all regions of the Commonwealth, the Sherman Center at UMass Medical School stands out as a leading research and educational institution not just for Worcester County but for the entire state,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “We look forward to the tremendous knowledge and growth this institute will lend in finding cures to complex diseases, supporting the medical and life sciences industries, and creating jobs and investment in Massachusetts.”

Named for UMass Medical School’s former vice chancellor for university relations, the Albert Sherman Center has doubled the research capacity of the Worcester campus with 512,000 square feet of interdisciplinary research and education space designed to maximize collaboration among scientists, educators and students across multiple fields. It is the new home of the Advanced Therapeutics Cluster, comprising the RNA Therapeutics Institute, the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and the Gene Therapy Center, and contains wet research space for more than 90 investigators. These translational scientists pursue novel bench-to-bedside research in emerging scientific fields with the goal of developing new innovative therapies for diseases ranging from cancer to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and cystic fibrosis.

“The Albert Sherman Center was one of the MLSC’s earliest investments, and at $90 million remains our largest investment to date,” said Susan Windham-Bannister, Ph.D., President & CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. “The advanced therapeutic research that will be housed in this facility will generate promising new treatments as well as spin out new companies. UMMS, the state's first and only public medical school, is a science pioneer and the Center is very pleased to advance their work through this investment. With this investment we also are implementing the Patrick/Murray Administration’s vision to grow the life sciences all across the Commonwealth.”

Last week, Governor Patrick unveiled a budget proposal that includes new investments in education, innovation and infrastructure, areas that have proven to create new jobs and economic opportunities through increased public investments for every part of the Commonwealth. This includes $25 million for the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center in the coming fiscal year to continue their landmark investments in innovation for the life sciences.

Through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Massachusetts is investing $1 billion over 10 years in the growth of the state’s life sciences supercluster. These investments are being made under the Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative, proposed by Governor Patrick in 2007, and passed by the State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Patrick in 2008.

“The completion of the Albert Sherman Center is a transformative event in the history of the Commonwealth’s medical school,” said Chancellor Michael F. Collins. “It would be hard to overstate the importance of this new center to our campus, or the positive impact of the work that will go on within it.”

“We are honored and privileged to be part of this ground breaking, collaborative construction effort,” said Peter Campot, Suffolk’s president of Healthcare and Science-Technology and chief innovation officer. “This unique project gave us an opportunity to implement the most innovative planning and construction methods in the industry, including virtual design and construction and six-dimensional facility modeling. These state-of-the-art processes and tools, along with our ‘build smart’ approach to construction management, allowed us to deliver a facility that will set a new standard for biomedical research for generations to come.”

PATRICK NAMES WILLIAM "MO" COWAN AS INTERIM U.S. SENATOR

Special election to be held on June 25

Governor Deval Patrick appoints William “Mo” Cowan as interim United States Senator, filling the seat left vacant by Senator John Kerry. Governor Patrick also announced that the Special Election to fill Senator Kerry’s seat will be held on June 25. Cowan will serve as interim senator until a new senator is elected on that date. View additional photos. (Photo: Eric Haynes / Governor’s Office)

BOSTON - Wednesday, January 30, 2013 - Governor Deval Patrick today appointed William “Mo” Cowan as interim United States Senator, filling the seat left vacant by Senator John Kerry. Governor Patrick also announced that the Special Election to fill Senator Kerry’s seat will be held on June 25. Cowan will serve as interim senator until a new senator is elected on that date.

Cowan is the former chief of staff and chief legal counsel to Governor Patrick, having served in the Patrick-Murray Administration since 2009.

"I am proud and delighted to appoint Mo Cowan as interim U.S. Senator from Massachusetts," said Governor Patrick. “Mo's service on the front lines in our efforts to manage through the worst economy in 80 years and build a better, stronger Commonwealth for the next generation has earned him the respect and admiration of people throughout government. The people of the Commonwealth have benefited from his wisdom and good judgment during his time in our office, and will again in the Senate."

“I am honored and humbled by this appointment today,” said Cowan. “I pledge to you and the people of Massachusetts that during this interim period I will work as hard as humanly possible to perform my duties with the needs and aspirations of our state's citizens foremost in mind.”

“Mo has been a tremendous asset to the Commonwealth, and we are more than confidant he will continue to serve the people well as interim U.S. Senator,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray.

From 1997 to 2009, Cowan practiced civil litigation as an associate and later a partner in the Boston office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, PC and as a Special Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the Middlesex County District Attorney.

Cowan is a graduate of Duke University and Northeastern University School of Law, and lives in Stoughton, Massachusetts with his wife, Stacy, and their two young sons.

STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT:

“Mo Cowan is someone who is one of the most brilliant and intelligent individuals in his field,” said University of Massachusetts Boston Chancellor J. Keith Motely. “He is capable and uniquely positioned to serve the Governor and the people of the Commonwealth. We all know that we can move forward in positive way, and trust that he knows how to do the job.”

"Governor Patrick has made an excellent choice in Mo Cowan as interim US Senator,” said Representative Dan Winslow. “Mo personifies the dignity, intelligence and calm judgment that we hope are qualities of all members of the US Senate. He has the ability to work across the aisle, which is sorely needed in Washington, DC. Congratulations to Senator-designate Cowan and congratulations to all citizens of Massachusetts who will be served by him in the coming months."

"The Governor has made a solid choice in the appointment of Mo Cowan,” said District Attorney Michael O’Keefe. “He understands government and has rolled up his sleeves to tackle tough problems. I wish him well.”

“Mo is an extraordinary choice,” said Thomas Merrigan, former Governor’s Councilor. “He has the experience, integrity, wisdom and intelligence to represent and protect the interests of the Commonwealth as interim senator. We will be well-served by his exceptional skills.”

"I’ve known Mo Cowan for almost a decade now and he’s an exceptional human being," said President of Bentley College Gloria Larson. "We worked together as members of the MCCA Board while at Mintz Levin, when he served as Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Patrick, and in his role as the Governor’s Chief of Staff. In all capacities, he has been an exemplary colleague and is a much valued friend. If I had to describe Mo, I’d say he’s blessed with both a high IQ and equally high EQ. He’s exactly the right person to leave his ego at the door and ensure that the Commonwealth’s and the nation’s interests continue to be well-served prior to the special election. Mo is extraordinarily fair minded and will work well with Democrats and Republicans alike."

“The Governor’s office has always been very knowledgeable and supportive of the issues facing the Massachusetts healthcare community in Washington, and Mo has been deeply involved in these efforts, as well as the wide range of other issues that affect Massachusetts," said Massachusetts Hospital Association President and CEO Lynn Nicholas. "So he will be able to hit the ground running in his role as interim Senator. Hospitals in particular are facing huge issues in Congress, and MHA is confident that Mo will carry on the vital advocacy for our hospitals that Senator Kerry has been so well known for.”

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR ON SENATOR KERRY CONFIRMATION

BOSTON – Tuesday, January 29, 2013 – The following is a statement from Governor Patrick:

“On behalf of the entire Commonwealth, I want to extend my congratulations to Senator Kerry on his confirmation as our nation’s next Secretary of State. In particular, I want to thank Senator Kerry for his decades of service to the people of Massachusetts. From his days as Lieutenant Governor to his nearly thirty years in the United States Senate, he has been our steadfast champion. I know that he will bring the dedication, intelligence, and passion to his new role that he brought to representing Massachusetts. We are sad to lose him as our Senator, but excited about and grateful for his service to the Nation on the international stage.”

While the responsibility for enacting laws in Massachusetts rests primarily with the legislature, the Governor has the ability to file legislation to address key priorities and to amend or approve bills enacted by the legislature. The bills in this section reflect legislation as filed; to see the final version of legislation please visit the legislature's website.

01/23/2013

January 2013

Dear Lion,

I am always excited to think about the prospects that come with a new year. There is so much to look forward to when it comes to Lions. You may not know this, but earlier this month was Melvin Jones' 134th birthday. His belief was "you can't get very far until you start doing something for somebody else," and I am certain that he would be amazed at just how far his vision has spread.

Think of everyone who was impacted by LCIF last year: a child who is now able to participate better in school thanks to a vision screening and follow-up care; a mother who no longer has to fear losing her child to measles because of a vaccination campaign; a family that is rebuilding their lives after Superstorm Sandy with help from Lions; and a student who has learned self-empowerment from Lions Quest in the classroom. All of these people and many more are looking forward to a brighter 2013 because of your help.

Soon, our Foundation's Advisory Committees will meet to review grants through SightFirst and Lions Quest. These grants will continue LCIF and Lions' work in communities around the world, providing sight and supporting youth. Together, we are beginning the new year in the way that Lions should - through service and through doing something for somebody else.

I encourage your club to think of all the ways you can help people in 2013. Together, I believe we can provide many services to lift up those who need our help. Through LCIF, there are so many ways that Lions can help others, both locally and globally, including applying for an LCIF grant. And, with our four pillars of service, there are many potential projects for your club.

Of course, these grants and projects would not be possible without generous donations. Thank you Lions, for everything that you have done to support our Foundation. Your donations ensure that Lions are able to do something great through LCIF.

Sincerely,

Wing-Kun

TamChairperson, Lions Clubs International

Foundation

SightFirst

in Madagascar

In this segment of the January 2013 LQ - Lions Quarterly video magazine, learn how the Lions SightFirstMadagascar Eye Center is treating a wide range of vision problems. From providing cataract surgery for 84-year-old Suzane to screening the vision of eight-year-old Florine and providing her with eyeglasses, this center reaches those who might not otherwise receive help.

"When we see the smiles of the people we help, it goes straight to your heart. No riches in the world can buy the feeling of happiness that comes from helping others," says Anja Ramilison, a member of the Antananarivo Santatra New Century Lions Club.

Family

Health Forums Benefit Special Olympic Athletes

When

families come together to participate in a Special Olympics event, they come to celebrate their athletes. For more than 12 years, Lions Clubs International Foundation has partnered with Special Olympics through the Opening Eyesprogram to provide vision screenings and glasses for athletes at these events. Now, as a recent initiative of LCIF and Special Olympics, Family Health Forums help to further create a sense of community among participants. At these events, families are shown how to improve living conditions for athletes and provide better access to health care, education, social services and inclusion.

Family Health Forums began in 2011 in select communities in Africa. In October 2012, South Africa hosted the first ever Regional Family Health Forum, which brought together families with Special Olympic athletes from five countries in Africa. Here is what some of the parents had to say:

"It was excellent for me as a mother who has a child with intellectual disability. I have learned a lot, especially sharing problems with other mothers in different places. Thanks for giving my child this opportunity," said one parent in response to the forum.

"It's

a way of changing the lives of people with intellectual disability and it makes us aware that nothing is impossible with people who have intellectual

Register DeCristofaro says, “This website will provide anyone who needs to come to our Court, whether they are in the midst of a divorce or custody dispute or they are dealing with administering the estate of a loved one or they simply want to legally change their name, a place to gather as much information as is available to prepare them for the experience.”

This site provides everything from court calendars to tips on how to dress for court. All court promulgated forms may be accessed so that a litigant or attorney may fill them out and print them for submission to the court, including all the forms required under the new Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code (MUPC). Additionally, a user can link to the public site of MassCourts, to search the dockets of estate cases.

Register DeCristofaro hopes that individuals will use this site to familiarize themselves with the court documents and requirement and what is expected of them when they come to court so their experience is less confusing and intimidating.

There is also a feature available that allows individuals to email the Register with any issues they encountered with the Registry process.

“This site, www.middlesexprobate.com, is as straightforward as you can get when it comes to the complicated nature of probate and family court cases,” says Register DeCristofaro, “ I hope that everyone takes the opportunity to visit this site before they come to the Court.”

WORCESTER - Friday, January 18, 2013 – Building on his call for renewed investments in transportation and education in Wednesday’s State of the Commonwealth Address, Governor Deval Patrick today visited Worcester to highlight the importance of these investments to building a 21stcentury education system and transportation network in Central Massachusetts and throughout the state.

The Governor’s plan includes a $1 billion annual investment in the Commonwealth’s transportation system to maintain the current transportation assets we have today and launch a number of high-impact transportation projects across Massachusetts that, if built, will create thousands of jobs and spur economic development across the Commonwealth. The plan also includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years, to expand access to high quality educational opportunities and make higher education more affordable for all students in Massachusetts.

“Opportunity is too important to leave to chance, but opportunity requires growth and growth requires investment. Whether it’s upgrades to Union Station, advanced manufacturing programs at Mt. Wachusett Community College or the new Life Sciences Center at UMass, the investments we make in Central Massachusetts are putting people back to work and expanding economic opportunity,” said Governor Patrick. “Working with our partners in the legislature, business community and cities and towns, we will build on these investments and create a stronger Commonwealth for this generation, and the next.”

“Governor Patrick has outlined a vision for this region and the entire Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “In Worcester and surrounding communities, we have seen investments pay off over the last several years thanks to a strong and effective partnership with the private sector and local, state and federal government. We need to build on this success and set the Commonwealth on a path towards growth to benefit this generation and generations to come.”

In Central Massachusetts, the Governor’s plan would allow for an $11.1 million increase in funding for the Worcester Regional Transit Authority in FY14. Additionally, the Administration could commit funding to make improvements at the interchange of I-495 and I-90, and I-495 and Route 9, targeted reconstruction of Routes 9 and 20, reconstruction of Quinsigamond Avenue in Worcester and much-needed roadway resurfacing on Route 119 in Groton and Littleton.

MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey said in years past, transportation investment had been concentrated in the Boston area; but under this plan, that changes.

“The bulk of our 21st-Century Transportation Plan is focused on maintaining our current roads, rails and bridges,” said Secretary Davey. “At the same time, we must continue to pursue investments that will result in real economic growth Commonwealth-wide. Our plan is ambitious but equitable, and will create a better, faster, safer transportation system today and in the future.”

The Governor’s plan would also provide access to high quality early education for the nearly 2,700 children in Central MA on the Department of Early Education and Care’s (EEC) waitlist; allow additional resources for high-need schools in Worcester, Fitchburg and the surrounding communities to extend learning time for students; make higher education more affordable for tens of thousands of students attending colleges and universities in Central MA; and allow our community colleges like Quinsigamond and Mount Wachusett to expand successful programs that are preparing students for success in the workplace.

“We have the tools in place to help all of our students achieve at high levels,” said Education Secretary Matt Malone. “These investments will fuel our continued efforts to build a 21st century public education system in Massachusetts that prepares all students to compete and succeed in the global marketplace.”

“This year as in years past we will be facing fiscal challenges and will have to make tough decisions,” said Senator Stephen M. Brewer. “Moving forward we must all continue to work together to identify the best investments and the best plans for the future of Massachusetts.”

FOLLOWING STATE OF THE COMMONWEALTH, GOVERNOR PATRICK MEETS WITH LEGISLATIVE LEADERS, TOURS INVESTMENT PROJECTS

Governor makes case for investing in education and transportation to create opportunity and growth in every region of the Commonwealth

BOSTON – Friday, January 18, 2013 – Following Wednesday’s State of the Commonwealth address in which he put forward a vision to expand opportunity and growth in the Commonwealth, Governor Deval Patrick this week traveled to different communities to meet with legislative, business and community leaders and tour infrastructure projects that, thanks to state investments, are creating jobs and unlocking economic development throughout Massachusetts. The Governor has launched a serious, fact-based debate about creating a more fair, comprehensive tax system to generate the revenue the Commonwealth needs to build 21st-Century education and transportation networks that will benefit this generation and the ones that follow.

“Opportunity is too important to leave to chance, but opportunity requires growth and growth requires investment,” said Governor Patrick in his address at the Massachusetts State House Wednesday night. “In every corner of the Commonwealth, investments we have made are paying off by putting people back to work and expanding economic opportunity. Working with our partners in the legislature, business community and cities and towns, we can build on these and create a stronger Commonwealth for this generation, and the next.”

This morning, Governor Patrick will meet with Senate Ways and Means Chair Stephen Brewer in his district. Following a cabinet meeting at Union Station in Worcester, he will join legislators, business and community leaders to outline how increased transportation and education investments will benefit Central Massachusetts.

“This year as in years past we will be facing fiscal challenges and will have to make tough decisions. Moving forward we must all continue to work together to identify the best investments and the best plans for the future of Massachusetts,” said Senator Stephen M. Brewer.

On Thursday, the Governor traveled to Haverhill, Lynn and Burlington.

In Haverhill, Governor Patrick joined House Ways and Means Chair Brian Dempsey to reinforce the importance of public infrastructure investments that leverage private development. They toured 500 units of housing private developers have added to the city center since the Patrick-Murray Administration and Legislature invested $1.8 million for the construction of a nearby parking garage.

In Lynn, Governor Patrick joined Senator Thomas McGee, chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, and local officials to showcase Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs), an innovative passenger rail investment that would be introduced through MassDOT’s 21st-Century transportation plan, The Way Forward: A 21st Century Transportation Plan. DMUs are self-propelled units able to run on existing passenger rail tracks, allowing more frequent, expanded service. DMU service to Lynn would provide faster and more efficient public transportation to North Shore residents.

In Burlington, Governor Patrick joined Senator Ken Donnelly, Representative Ken Gordon, local officials and the Middlesex 3 Coalition, a group of business, academic and government leaders from along the Route 3 North corridor to discuss how the Commonwealth’s investments in education, innovation and infrastructure are expanding job creation and economic development opportunities in this specific region of the state.

“This area represents one of the most economically successful regions in the Commonwealth,” said Senator Donnelly. “It provides jobs across the economic spectrum, and a robust and reliable transportation system is critical to its continued success. Working in partnership, regional businesses, state and local officials and community stakeholders have been leaders in smart development that strengthens our communities and invests in the human capital needed to continue strong economic development. I applaud the Governor for all he's done to support smart development in this region and his bold leadership in addressing our infrastructure and transportation needs.”

“The Governor listened attentively to the needs of the Burlington business community and he responded to its concerns,” said Representative Gordon. “The members of the community told him how much they appreciated his willingness to listen and to take their priorities, including increased public transportation, into consideration.”

On Wednesday, Governor Patrick joined House Majority Leader Ronald Mariano and other city leaders in Quincy to discuss the $1.6 billion Quincy Center Redevelopment Project, set to begin construction next month and bring a total of 11,000 new, permanent jobs to the area. This project, and others like it across the Commonwealth, was made possible by public and private investments, and will expand the region’s economy for the long-term.

“I was thrilled to welcome Governor Patrick to the City of Quincy to tour the downtown redevelopment construction that is underway,” said House Majority Leader Mariano. “I share in Mayor Koch and the entire state delegation’s gratitude to the Governor and his administration for their unwavering support and vision for downtown, as we continue to fulfill our commitment to the future success of the revitalized City of Quincy.”

The Governor has proposed a comprehensive, fair, dedicated and competitive investment plan that will strengthen the state’s economic future by cutting the sales tax from the current rate of 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent and raising the income tax from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent.

The Governor’s proposals will support important investments in our infrastructure in order to pay the bills the Commonwealth inherited from the Big Dig, maintain existing infrastructure, promote regional equity and make targeted expansions to unlock long-term economic development and reinvest in the Commonwealth’s education system by providing universal access to high quality early education, fully funding K-12 education and allowing extended school days in high-need schools; make college more affordable and accessible, and allow community colleges to expand their efforts.

$1.5 million for energy efficiency, renewable energy and enhanced energy security at six military bases statewide

BOURNE – Thursday, January 17, 2013 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today joined Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan at the Massachusetts Military Reservation to announce $1.5 million in funding for a first-in-the-nation initiative that will include comprehensive energy audits of the state’s six military bases.

An initiative of the Patrick-Murray Administration's Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Murray, the audits will build on the Commonwealth's leadership in clean energy, further align Massachusetts bases with the U.S. Department of Defense priorities and reduce energy consumption and costs.

“This is an excellent step forward, both for our valued military bases and for our energy goals in the Commonwealth,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “I thank the Lieutenant Governor’s Task Force for their innovative work and look forward to celebrating the results.”

“Moving forward on these energy audits is a key example of the work the Task Force first set forth to complete,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, Chair of the Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force. “The defense industry and our military bases rely heavily on energy, and it is critical that we develop innovative opportunities to enhance energy efficiency and deliver cost-savings for our bases.”

The Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force shares a goal with the U.S. Department of Defense, the nation’s largest user of energy, to reduce energy costs at all military installations. To do so in the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) will procure a contractor to conduct a comprehensive review of each base, including assessing each base for their energy use; establishing opportunities for renewable energy installations on site; and exploring the possibility of microgrid integration. For more information, review the full scope of work on DOER’s website, http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/doer/massachusetts-military-bases-clean-energy-background.pdf

Funding for this program comes from the 2011 Alternative Compliance Payments (ACP) Spending Plan. ACPs are paid by electric retail suppliers if they have insufficient Renewable Energy Certificates to meet their compliance obligations under the Commonwealth’s Renewable Portfolio Standard. DOER establishes the plan for the use of those funds to support clean energy development in Massachusetts.

“The Patrick-Murray Administration has made energy efficiency and renewable energy a priority in Massachusetts,” said Secretary Sullivan. “These audits will allow us to move forward with innovative energy projects at our bases, some of the largest energy users in the Commonwealth.”

"The National Association of State Energy Officials has conducted a six-month review of various states' efforts to aid the military in finding cost-effective, innovative solutions to modernizing energy infrastructure and making facilities more energy efficient and sustainable," said David Terry, Executive Director of NASEO. "While there are many fine examples, Massachusetts is poised to be the national leader with its comprehensive approach to aiding bases in evaluating their energy needs, identifying solutions, and facilitating implementation. It's another great Massachusetts partnership program that will enhance local economic development and at the same time support of the exceptional work of our nation's military personnel."

The Commonwealth’s six military bases are the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod; Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee; Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield; Natick Soldier Systems Center in Natick; Fort Devens; and Hanscom Air Force Base.

In 2012, for the second consecutive year, Massachusetts was ranked the top state in the nation for energy-efficiency policies and programs by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). This distinction recognizes the Commonwealth’s ambitious energy agenda and accomplishments through the Green Communities Act, the Green Jobs Act and the Global Warming Solutions Act, all signed by Governor Patrick in 2008.

About the Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force

Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray have committed to supporting Massachusetts’ military bases. In February 2012, with the support of Governor Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Murray signed Executive Order #541 creating the Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force. As chair of the Task Force, Lieutenant Governor Murray and Task Force members led meetings including tours, roundtable discussions and committee meetings in support of the state’s six military bases.

Over the last year, the Military Mission, Operations, Opportunities and Efficiencies Subcommittee of the Task Force, led by MassDevelopment and the National Guard, has joined base leadership to explore opportunities to achieve upgrades and efficiencies, including energy efficiencies, on each base.

In 2012, Lieutenant Governor Murray tasked MassDevelopment to collaborate with the UMass Donahue Institute and assess the economic benefits of Massachusetts’ six military installations including. The report found that more than 46,500 jobs directly and indirectly are related to our installations that have an estimated economic impact of more than $14.2 billion to Massachusetts.

“Energy efficiency is intricately linked to our Nation’s national security. Massachusetts and, in particular, the Massachusetts Military Reservation in my district, are already leaders on this front and are committed to further developing their self-sufficiency,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “I applaud Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray’s initiative to help Massachusetts Military Reservation and other bases throughout Massachusetts identify additional opportunities for renewable energy and clean technology integration. It will not only help our environment and surrounding communities, but will also support the longevity of these installations, which in turn contribute greatly to our local economies. I stand ready to assist the Governor and Lieutenant Governor in moving this initiative forward and thank them for their tireless efforts on behalf of our military families, communities, and bases.”

“Massachusetts is once again leading the way with state-of-the-art clean energy solutions, creating an opportunity for our military installations to serve as national models for efficiency and productivity," said Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. "I have worked with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and their team to take important steps to ensure Massachusetts’ bases have a strong and bright future, and remain some of our military’s most innovative resources.”

“I strongly believe we must always be looking at innovative ways to save money and increase our energy efficiency," said Congressman Jim McGovern. "These new efforts, under the guidance of the Task Force chaired by Lieutenant Governor Murray, will allow our military bases to become more efficient while increasing their security---a winning combination for the Commonwealth and our military. I commend the Patrick-Murray administrative for their innovative, forward thinking leadership on this critical issue.

“This funding will allow us to take a close look at how we can reduce energy costs at all of our military bases in Massachusetts,” said Senate President Therese Murray. “The Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod has always displayed a strong commitment to this effort by taking advantage of their renewable energy options and other initiatives to reduce operational costs. The information gathered from these audits will help our bases continue their conservation efforts and promote energy efficiency in the Commonwealth.”

“These energy audits for military bases represent an exciting new innovation for the Commonwealth," said Senator Marc Pacheco. "I am pleased that we will be able to take a look at these bases and figure out ways to improve their energy consumption."

"The Massachusetts National Guard is excited to be part of Lt. Gov. Murray's team to develop and strengthen our state's military and civilian partnerships. This initiative will greatly benefit the commonwealth and secure a responsible future for all its military installations through the use of clean and cost effective energy," said Major General L. Scott Rice, The Adjutant General, Massachusetts National Guard. "It's a great opportunity to explore new missions and build partnerships that will further our individual and collective agency goals."

"Westover strives to be a good neighbor as we fulfill national security objectives," said Colonel Steven Vautrain, 439th Airlift Wing Commander at Westover Air Reserve Base. "Being as efficient as possible with our limited resources makes good sense from both budgetary and mission-impact standpoints. We look forward to continuing our positive relationship with the Commonwealth and exploring ways to save taxpayer money through energy conservation."

"The joint nature with which the commands at the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod approach reducing energy consumption along with the design, development and installation of renewable energy projects is providing the Massachusetts Military Reservation with a diverse energy portfolio that will lead the installation toward its goal of energy reliability, redundancy and most importantly energy security," said Colonel Anthony Schiavi, Executive Director, Massachusetts Military Reservation. "This Clean Energy Assessment will be an important tool for us to use in advancing our programs to that end as well as explore other areas in a rapidly growing area of technology."

“Camp Edwards fully supports and applauds the efforts of Lt. Governor Murray and the entire Task Force for establishing the Clean Energy Project Team,” said Colonel Richard Crivello, Commander of Camp Edwards Army National Guard Training Site. "We enthusiastically look forward to working with the Project Team to find new and innovative ways to reduce our energy consumption and carbon footprint while continuing to provide modern necessary and compatible training facilities for our deploying Massachusetts Army National Guard and Northeast Region military units."

"The 104th Fighter Wing has a reputation of being an environmental steward; from our robust recycling programs to designing our infrastructure--integrating the newest in energy efficiencies, we are always looking for green-approaches to completing our mission of Homeland Defense," said Colonel James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander at Barnes Air National Guard Base. "We are excited to explore additional opportunities to decrease our carbon foot-print through collaborating with the Clean Energy Project Team and the Lt. Governor's office."

“We at Fort Devens welcome the opportunity offered by Massachusetts of having an external agency provide an assessment of our energy programs," said Lt. Colonel Steven F. Egan at Fort Devens.

"The Air Force is always looking at ways to reduce our operating costs, increase energy efficiency and reduce our environmental impact," said Colonel Lester Weilacher, Hanscom Air Force Base Commander. "We welcome this opportunity to explore such opportunities in partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

The memorable evening will include cocktail hour, an exquisite three-course dinner, a fun and interactive theater show, and most importantly, an award ceremony to recognize five award recipients.

From over 400 NAAAP Boston members, two leaders and three members are selected as this year’s award recipients for their outstanding involvement and contribution to the all-volunteer Asian American organization. Awards as follows: NAAAP Boston MVP Award for Leaders: Sang Yoon NAAAP Boston Leaders Rising Star Award: Wei Wong NAAAP Boston MVP Award for the Marketing & PR Committee: Wennie Fang NAAAP Boston MVP Award for the Networking Committee: Christopher Wong NAAAP Boston MVP Award for the Corporate Relations Committee: William Poon "The format of the Annual Gala has evolved over the years, but the heart of the event has always been the same. This event is NAAAP Boston's way of recognizing the year's successes and thanking members and sponsors for their continued support. It's a celebration of the strength and vivacity in our community," said Celia Ho, the Co-Director of NAAAP Boston Networking Committee and one of the organizers of the gala.

About NAAAP Boston

The National Association of Asian American Professionals, Boston Chapter (NAAAP Boston) is the premier leadership organization for Asian professionals in Greater Boston. Founded in 1986, NAAAP Boston is one of the oldest and largest chapters, with over 400 members as of December 2012.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and advancing the careers of Asian leaders, NAAAP Boston cultivates professional excellence among its members, connects accomplished professionals for mutual success, engages members in community service, and works with employers in business, nonprofit, and government to recruit, retain, and promote high-achieving individuals. For more information, please visit www.naaapboston.org.

For registration and more information about the annual gala, please check out the link below: http://www.naaapboston.org/Events/Calendar/tabid/2304/vw/3/itemid/3055/d/20130118/Default.aspx Media Contact: Yan Yu

The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) has been informed by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) that they have reached a settlement with Metropolitan Property & Casualty Insurance Company (Met P&C) with regard to allegations that it failed to refund surcharge premiums to insurance policyholders after those surcharges were eliminated by the Commonwealth’s Board of Appeal. This settlement effects all motor vehicle insurance carriers, not just motorcyclists, but follows a line of actions similar to those which have resulted in nearly $43 million being returned to Motorcyclists thus far.

Previous activities by the AGO were targeted at overcharges by the Insurance Carriers in the Comprehensive and Collision Premiums of Motorcycle Policies because the Carriers were not accurately applying vehicle depreciation. The settlement with Met P&C announced today deals with policy premium overcharges caused by surcharges that should have been removed; today's settlement also applies to all motor vehicle insurance policies, not just motorcycles.

The AGO investigated Met P&C’s surcharge practices after a compliant from a Massachusetts Consumer indicated their surcharge had not been removed from their premium despite having been vacated by the Commonwealth’s Board of Appeal in 2010. Met P&C cooperated with the AGO which found that Met P&C had failed to refund more than $700 in surcharge premiums. The Commonwealth’s Board of Appeal is an independent board that reviews at-fault accident determinations made by insurance companies. Once a surcharge is vacated by the Board of Appeal, insurance companies are required by law to refund the surcharge premium to the policyholder.

Met P&C has agreed to engage in a supervised audit of the relevant insurance policies to determine refund amounts and provide those refunds plus 6% interest to the consumer as well as penalties to the Commonwealth. The AGO is now investigating additional Insurance Carriers with the assistance of the Merit Rating Board.

The MMA would like its membership and all riders to be aware of this issue and check their insurance policies. If you believe you are unfairly being charged a premium, regardless of your insurance carrier, you are encouraged to contact the AGO directly, or contactMyRefund@MassMotorcycle.org for more information or assistance.

GOVERNOR PATRICK CALLS FOR INCREASE TAX TO SUPPORT INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION

Governor Patrick delivers his State of the Commonwealth address in the House Chambers at the State House.(Photo: Eric Haynes / Governor’s Office)

BOSTON – Wednesday, January 16, 2013 – Tonight in his State of the Commonwealth Address at the Massachusetts State House, Governor Deval Patrick will propose to invest in opportunity and growth by building a 21st-Century education and transportation network for this generation and the ones that follow.

To support almost $2 billion in meaningful investments that will strengthen the state’s economic future, the Governor will call for the creation of a more fair and comprehensive tax system that lowers the sales tax to 4.5% and raises the income tax to 6.25%.

“There is no good time to raise taxes. I know how tough times have been on the people and families of the Commonwealth,” Governor Patrick plans to say. “I would not ask if I did not believe in my heart that investing meaningfully today in education and transportation will significantly improve our economic future. But because we all have a stake in that future, we should all contribute to paying for it.”

The Governor will say that any new revenue must meet the following principles: comprehensive, fair, dedicated and competitive.

In his budget, the Governor will seek to cut the sales tax from 6.25% to 4.5% and dedicate all the proceeds to a public works fund that will support the transportation plan laid out on Monday, as well as the school building fund and other public infrastructure. The sales tax proceeds will be off limits for any other purpose.

To fund the education initiatives outlined yesterday, the Governor will propose a 1 percentage point increase in the income tax to 6.25%. To make that increase fair to all according to their ability to pay, the Governor will double the personal exemptions.

To make that increase fair to all according to their ability to pay, the Governor will propose that we double the personal exemptions for every taxpayer and eliminate a number of itemized deductions. Making those changes gives us a tax code that is simpler and fairer.

The changes to state sales, income and business taxes will be comparable to and competitive with our neighboring states and those with which we compete.

The Governor plans to tell the Legislature: “That is what I propose. There will be debate. I encourage it. Every one of us here has to think twice before asking people who already feel strapped to contribute a little more. But this time, instead of sinking into the same old slogans, let’s have a serious, fact-based debate. The people we work for want the schools I have described; they want the rail and road services we have laid out; and above all they want the opportunity and growth these investments will bring. We on their behalf have choices to make. I choose growth.”

01/08/2013

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MURRAY AND MASSACHUSETTS LIFE SCIENCES CENTER ANNOUNCE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY MATCHING GRANTS FOR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS

Grants to fund new equipment for life sciences job training at vocational schools, high schools in Gateway Cities

WESTFORD – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) today announced $3.2 million in grants to support the purchase of life sciences training equipment and supplies at vocational technical schools, public high schools in Massachusetts' Gateway Cities, and workforce training programs across the state.

Lieutenant Governor Murray launched the first round of the MLSC Equipment and Supplies for High Schools Grant Program at the 7th Annual Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Summit held in 2010. Building on the success of the first year of the program, Lieutenant Governor Murray visited the Nashoba Valley Technical High School, one of the recipients in this latest round, to award the vocational technical school with a $96,665 grant to support the expansion of their Engineering Academy to include biotechnical engineering and robotic fabrication. In addition to Nashoba Valley, 30 other schools and programs were also awarded grants.

“Our Administration continues to invest in STEM education, jobs, and workforce development to prepare the next generation of students and leaders in our economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, Chair of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. “By partnering with the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, we are delivering resources for schools to invest in advanced equipment and supplies. Students will gain more hands-on experience in the classroom, further engaging them in STEM fields that will get them excited about future careers in innovative industries."

Awardees provide a breadth of training ranging from general STEM education curricula to biotechnology. The student population that will benefit from these equipment grants represents a diverse workforce, including workers seeking re-training and low-income individuals preparing for entry-level positions.

This grant program seeks to further the development of the state’s life sciences workforce by providing funding of up to $250,000 per institution for life sciences equipment and supplies. To be eligible for an award of greater than $100,000, applicants must have secured matching funds or in-kind donations from an industry partner that supports the training program for which the equipment and supplies are needed. Industry sponsors have contributed more than $400,000 in matching funds and in-kind donations as part of this year’s program.

“Training students to enter the life sciences workforce is a critical part of the Center’s mission,” said Susan Windham-Bannister, Ph.D., President & CEO of the MLSC. “We want to make those opportunities available to all students across the state, which is why we are focusing resources in this round of grant awards on our voc/tech schools, and public high schools in our gateway cities. These investments will both strengthen and diversify our life sciences workforce in Massachusetts.”

“We as a career and technical school district, for the past two decades have changed our direction and mission to meet the highest skill standards of the global workplace,” said Dr. Judith Klimkiewicz, Superintendent of Nashoba Valley Technical High School. “We are focused on creating the newest technical programs necessary to meet the needs of the Commonwealth and the nation’s growing science, health, human services and biotechnology industries. We opened Engineering Technology ten years ago and have continued to expand STEM Education in all of our technical programs. Use of the equipment purchased through this grant will enable our students in our health sciences, Engineering Technology and Advanced Placement Biology programs to expand their core curriculums to address specific mathematic and scientific concepts unique to biotechnology.”

“Vocational technical and agricultural education is a blend of quality education, skill development, preparation for post-secondary education and preparation for the workforce of the future,” said Peter D. Dewar, Director of Professional Development, Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators. “The grants being awarded today will go far to enhance and in some schools introduce life sciences education as a workforce component. This will help us continue our quest as we seek to maintain our standing as one of the finest vocational technical and agricultural public education systems in the country.”

"I'm very excited that this grant has been awarded to Nashoba Valley Tech,” said Timothy Blicharz, Senior Scientist for Seventh Sense Biosystems of Cambridge, a company that is collaborating with Nashoba Valley Technical on their biotechnology training programs. “It will be a huge help to foster the students' interest in the sciences and help shape them into the leading scientists and engineers of tomorrow."

The 31 schools and programs that are receiving awards, the city or town in which they are located, and the amount of their grant are as follows:

School/Organization

City/Town

Award Amount

Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School

Marlborough

$ 90,284.00

Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School

Upton

$ 99,984.00

Blue Hills Technical School District

Canton

$ 100,000.00

Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School District

Taunton

$ 99,940.20

Cape Cod Regional Technical High School

Harwich

$ 77,738.02

Fall River Public Schools (Durfee High School)

Fall River

$ 92,555.23

Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School

Tyngsboro

$ 89,936.15

Haverhill High School

Haverhill

$ 99,289.40

Holyoke Public Schools (Dean Tech & Holyoke High School)

Holyoke

$ 195,019.93

Lynn English High School

Lynn

$ 77,419.35

Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation

Cambridge

$ 249,777.00

Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School District

Lexington

$ 134,137.91

Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District

Fitchburg

$ 248,274.76

Nashoba Valley Technical High School

Westford

$ 96,665.20

Norfolk County Agricultural High School

Walpole

$ 97,612.00

North Shore Technical High School

Middleton

$ 99,999.52

Northeast Metropolitan Vocational School District

Wakefield

$ 71,610.00

Quaboag Regional Middle High School

Warren

$ 7,438.65

Quincy High School

Quincy

$ 94,469.05

Revere High School

Revere

$ 98,176.02

Rindge School of Technical Arts

Cambridge

$ 100,000.00

Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy

Springfield

$ 100,000.00

Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational School District

Billerica

$ 95,928.00

Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School

Northampton

$ 100,000.00

South Shore Vocational Technical High School

Hanover

$ 119,925.00

Taconic High School

Pittsfield

$ 88,028.74

Taunton Public Schools

Taunton

$ 99,384.00

The BioBuilder Educational Foundation

Cambridge

$ 95,300.00

Westfield Public Schools

Westfield

$ 44,333.00

Worcester North High School

Worcester

$ 64,995.00

Worcester Technical High School

Worcester

$ 99,982.82

“This funding will provide much needed supplies and equipment to Gateway City schools and Vocational-Technical programs across the Commonwealth to help train students in life sciences technology and research,” said state Representative Alice H. Peisch, House Chair of the Education Committee. “I am grateful to the Administration and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for supporting this important initiative.”

“The Patrick-Murray Administration has made a concerted effort to prioritize the needs of our Gateway Cities,” said state Senator Eileen Donoghue. “I’m grateful for the emphasis they have placed on education in Gateway Cities, and I’m confident that this funding will go a long way for Nashoba Valley Technical High School.”

“Our investments in the Life Sciences have been vital to the Massachusetts economy and the growth of new companies and technology in our state," state Senator Harriette Chandler. "I applaud the Patrick-Murray Administration for continuing to move forward with these important grants to these educational institutions."

"Thanks to the dedication of the Patrick-Murray Administration and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, our Vocational-Technical schools are leading the way in preparing our students to reignite the precision manufacturing industry in Massachusetts,” said state Senator Gale Candaras. “Precision manufacturers across the state have stressed the need for more machinists in the next five years, and this funding will ensure that our students can fill these positions, which offer fair pay and benefits."

“I am so pleased once again with the results of the state's strong partnership with the Gateway Cities," said state Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier. "Today we are coming together to support the important life science training offered at Taconic High School. I appreciate the leadership that Department Chair Kristen Pearson has demonstrated in finding a way to provide the practical tools that are so crucial in preparing our students for career opportunities in STEM fields.”

“Representing two Gateway Cities, I am thrilled about this announcement and thankful to Governor Patrick for his steadfast commitment to provide all students across the Commonwealth an equal opportunity to learn,” said state Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein. “These resources are critical in assisting disadvantaged children and their families overcome difficulties to gain a good education and lead successful lives.”

About the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is a quasi-public agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts tasked with implementing the Massachusetts Life Sciences Act, a 10-year, $1-billion initiative that was signed into law in June of 2008. The MLSC’s mission is to create jobs in the life sciences and support vital scientific research that will improve the human condition. This work includes making financial investments in public and private institutions that are advancing life sciences research, development and commercialization as well as building ties among sectors of the Massachusetts life sciences community. For more information, visit www.masslifesciences.com.

Employees at 87 Companies Benefit from Grant-Funded Skills Training

BOSTON – Thursday, January 3, 2013 – The Patrick-Murray Administration today announced $6,846,496 in Workforce Training Fund grants to 87 Massachusetts companies. The grants, which support up to two years of training, will create 682 new jobs and train over 6,300 workers.

"We are focused on addressing the skills gap issue in the Commonwealth so that workers can compete in today’s ever-changing jobs market,” said Governor Deval Patrick. "The Workforce Training Fund focuses on the needs of both our businesses and workers, as Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in economic recovery.”

“The Workforce Training Fund continues to provide Massachusetts companies with the right resources to train employees and build a stronger and more effective workforce,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “The program is another tool in the toolbox for businesses, and we look forward to seeing this funding support new jobs, increased work capacity, and business growth in regions across the Commonwealth.”

“It’s great to see the Workforce Training Fund programs back in full operation, with assured funding,” said Richard C. Lord, President and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts. “Employers of all sizes across the state are seeking improved productivity, and these grant programs are proven resources for advancing workforce skills.”

The companies are located in 66 cities and towns across the Commonwealth and training will be provided to employees in a range of sectors, including financial services, manufacturing, engineering and hospitality.

“We are committed to providing training to new and incumbent workers so that businesses will have the skilled workforce they need to thrive in the Massachusetts economy and employees develop the skill sets and expertise that leads to sustainable jobs,” said Joanne F. Goldstein, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. “We continue to partner with Massachusetts employers so they can access the Workforce Training Fund which provides them with the resources to run training programs that ensure the viability and growth of businesses in the Commonwealth and a workforce that is top notch.”

BOSTON – Thursday, January 3, 2013 – Governor Deval Patrick today joined Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray and housing, public safety, legislative and community based advocacy leaders at the State House to sign S. 2402, “An Act Relative To Housing Rights for Victims of Domestic Violence, Rape, Sexual Assault and Stalking.” The legislation will provide housing rights and protections for victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and stalking.

“We must do all we can to protect victims of sexual and domestic violence,” said Governor Patrick. “I thank the Legislature and the many caring advocates for giving us additional tools to do so.”

“After facing the emotional and physical trauma of abuse or assault, victims of sexual and domestic violence often struggle with ongoing concern for personal safety, housing instability or potential homelessness if they need to leave their residence,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, who chairs both the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual and Domestic Violence and the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness. “By partnering with the legislature and community based advocates, we are helping to improve the safety of victims in their own home and providing opportunities to improve their safety without further financial penalties.”

In addition to the challenges of finding safety and maintaining stable housing, victims of sexual and domestic violence often encounter financial and legal barriers if they need to leave their home, even when staying in their home is unsafe. Many victims also face discrimination from prospective landlords when or if a past history of abuse is known. The legislation signed by the Governor provides victims of these crimes with rights and protections while also protecting the rights of property owners.

“We thank the legislature and the Governor for passage of this bill,” said Mary Lauby, Executive Director of Jane Doe Inc. “Inadequate and unsafe housing options contribute to the economic instability that some victims face. This law removes obstacles as it creates new options for rape victims and victims of domestic violence who may need and want such protection.”

Among key provisions, S. 2402:

Establishes a defense to eviction if a landlord attempts to evict a tenant because he/she was the victim of one of these crimes;

Creates a provision for victims of these crimes, with appropriate documentation, to vacate their lease or rental agreements without financial penalty;

Provides a provision that allows for victims to have their locks changed

As chair of both the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual and Domestic Violence and the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness, Lieutenant Governor Murray convened a joint working group in 2012 to identify more efficient and compassionate ways to support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in various housing systems. Through this collaborative effort, both councils have worked closely with the legislature and community based advocacy organizations on this initiative and other resources.

“This new law will provide important protections to victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse and stalking by giving them the ability to choose whether to stay in their residences or move without having to weigh their personal safety against financial considerations,” said Senator Cynthia Creem.

“I applaud the legislature and the Administration for their hard work and dedication toward the passage of this bill,” said Representative Kevin G. Honan. “This law will afford increased protection for victims of domestic violence and their families, and remove obstacles in order to provide greater safety for those in highly vulnerable living situations. These protective measures for individuals and their families are necessary to ensure the physical and mental safety of the residents of Massachusetts. I commend all of the parties that have contributed to the process.”

Retiring Middlesex County Registrar of Deeds, former Mayor of Somerville, former Alderman Ward 6 and former Board of Health member, Eugene C. Brune, is a man who has many friends both here in Somerville and elsewhere.

What a great guy and what a great guy for Somerville. A family man, public figure, who is generous with both his time and energy to many causes here in Somerville. You won’t find many, if any, former mayors that have been as involved as he has since he left City Hall in the late 1980s. He has kept himself busy full time with various worthwhile charitable causes that have affected and benefited Somerville as a whole. When he was mayor he brought a breath of fresh air to City Hall, embarking on many things that helped to make our city what it is today. The Red Line in Davis was one of many things he worked on to get started and completed. When he left City Hall it was a much different place than when he arrived and city government was better managed than before, leaving those that came afterwards pretty big shoes to fill.

He was founder and co-founder of many charities here, including the Somerville High Scholarship Foundation and many others. Every time you turn around there was some agency or non-profit needing his expertise and, more importantly, his name and what it means to many here in Somerville. He’s retiring from politics now as the new Registrar of Deeds is installed on January 2. Eugene C. Brune will now head off to the private sector, but don’t expect him to retire from loving his city of Somerville. He’s going to be involved in a lot of charities still and we are all grateful for his giving of himself.

We salute Eugene C. Brune as our pick as The Somerville News Person of the Year 2012. We wish him health, a long life and much happiness in his transformation from politician to private citizen, even though a special private citizen here in Somerville. Say “Hi” to Gene, as he likes to be called, and engage him in a conversation about his favorite subject, Somerville.

Newly elected South Middlesex County Register of Deeds Maria Curtatone was officially sworn into office early Wednesday morning by former Registrar Gene Brune.

The ceremony took place in the main courtroom of the Somerville Courthouse, located on the Fellsway in Somerville.

Later in the day a couple hundred friends, relatives, supporters and elected officials attended the ceremonial swearing-in at the South Middlesex Registry of Deeds that’s located on Cambridge Street in East Cambridge.

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin swore Registrar Maria Curtatone into office as the first woman to ever hold that position.

The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) would like all riders to be aware that Vega Helmet Corp. has announced that it is recalling more than 30,000 model XTS Helmets after testing found that some did not meet crash protection safety standards. Vega specifically identified XTS half-helmets in sizes Large, Extra Large, and XX Large produced between May 2011 and October 2012.

Safety Testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration performed earlier this year identified that four (4) Extra Large Helmets failed to pass. Vega investigated and found that the helmets fell out of

compliance partially due to changes in the model's shell design. Although

Vega doesn't know how many of the helmets in the effected population

failed to meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, the company is

recalling all of them and informed regulators that the helmet’s design would be reconfigured immediately. Vega further said they will replace the recalled helmets. According to reports by the Associated Press, there’s no evidence that anyone has been injured because of the defective helmets.

The MMA notes that it’s unclear how many helmets beyond just these 4 were tested by NHTSA and from which manufacturers, what their pass/fail ratio was and whether other failed models were being addressed by their respective manufacturers (if any). According to reports by the Associated Press, there’s no evidence that anyone has been injured because of the defective

helmets.

The MMA suggests that all riders who wear Vega XTS Half-Helmets in sizes L, XL, and XXL check the manufacturer date on the labeling inside the helmet. Further information should be available from Vega Helmet Corp. when the recall begins in Late January.

Despite the weather report for January 1st looks brisk, but sunny and clear! Many riders enjoy January 1st rides and often forget to update their sticker, so the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) would like to remind all Motorcycle Owners in Massachusetts to install their 2013 Vehicle Registration Sticker on their License Plate as soon as possible! While we realize that not everyone rides in the winter, many do, and even if you don’t, it’s one less thing to worry about in the spring.

The MA Registry of Motor Vehicles would have sent out reminders beginning in October to renew your registration, and if you did so, you would have received the new Registration “card” and sticker within 10 days. The sticker should be applied to the upper right corner of your license plate. Be sure to remove the old stickers to provide maximum adhesion and prevent the embarrassment of losing all or part of the new sticker. Old stickers can be removed using a hair dryer to warm the old glue and a razor blade or stiff spackling knife to get under the edge of the old sticker(s). Be sure to also clean the plate using a solvent or even a streak-free glass cleaner to prevent dirt or grime from interfering with the new Sticker.

With the new Sticker installed, keep the registration “card” in a safe, dry place and enjoy the ride!

“Boston Logan is a front door to Massachusetts and providing excellent customer service to the millions of passengers who use the airport reflects well on the entire state. Protecting Logan Airport is a team effort that relies on a proactive workforce to act as the first line of defense against a wide spectrum of threats,’’ said Governor Patrick. “I am proud to honor these employees for their outstanding service to the citizens and visitors of the Commonwealth.”

“Massport applies an effective team approach to ensuring the highest level of security and service at Logan Airport,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “We thank everyone honored today for their leadership and dedication in protecting and supporting customers who rely on Logan Airport throughout the year.”

Massport sponsors the “Logan Stars” award twice each year to give the nearly 18,000 members of the Logan Airport community an opportunity to honor their peers for superior individual achievement.

"Excellent customer service is fundamental to a successful transportation system, and I am pleased to see Massport honor those who work as partners at Logan in making the travel experience a positive one," said Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary & CEO Richard A. Davey.

Receiving the “Logan Stars” award were, Doreen Wayland, Customer Service Representative for US Airways; Scott Mari, with the Otis Elevator Company; John Latimer and David Caratelli, Master Behavior Detection Officers with the Transportation Security Administration; Dung Quoc Tran, General Manager for Panda Express; Christopher Pelusi and Michael Barros, Transportation Security Officers with TSA; Scott Schocker, a re-fueler for American Airlines; Alfred Doracaj, British Airways Customer Service Agent; Shawn Theriault, Airport Operations Supervisor for United Airlines; Eleanor Long, United Airlines Airport Sales Agent; Lauren Dellascio and Tracy Venza, United Customer Service Representatives; Moises Jackson, a skycap for Flight Services and Systems; Richard Fisher, a re-fueler with ServisAir; and William Cannata, Statewide Coordinator of the Autism and Law Enforcement Coalition.

SAFE, Security Awareness For Everyone, is a Massport campaign to advance the security awareness of airport employees and by doing so enhance the safety of the traveling public.

“Security is a 24/7/365 concern and we need all airport employees, like today’s honorees, to be involved in making Boston Logan as safe and secure as possible,’’ said Massport CEO and Executive Director Thomas Glynn. “This program rewards achievement and reinforces the security mission for everyone.’’

Boston Logan, 15 minutes from the intersection of Route 128 and I-90 and five minutes from downtown Boston, serves as the gateway to the New England region and offers nonstop service to 72 domestic and 31 international destinations and in 2011 handled 28.9 million passengers. Boston Logan is the Air Line Pilot Association’s Airport of the Year for 2008 because of its commitment to safety. Over the past decade, the airport spent $4.5 billion on a modernization program that includes new terminals, public transportation access, parking facilities, roadways and airport concessions, and has been transformed into a world-class 21st Century facility. The airport generates $7 billion in total economic impact each year.

LT GOVERNOR MURRAY ANNOUNCES THE EXPANSION OF STEM PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE COMPLETION

FITCHBURG – Thursday, December 13, 2012 – Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today announced five designated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs will expand across the state to support the Commonwealth’s goals of improving workforce development and increasing student retention among college graduates in Massachusetts. Lieutenant Governor Murray, Chair of the STEM Advisory Council, also announced that in addition to approximately $428,000 awarded through the state’s STEM Pipeline Fund, these expanded programs have identified matching funds at the targeted 3:1 ratio totaling more than $1.3 million from participating corporations, private foundations, and federal government sources to enhance state assistance.

Known as the @Scale Initiative, the STEM Advisory Council has collaborated with government, academia, and the private sector to “scale up” existing programs in Massachusetts, replicating models and best practices to reach more students and adults studying and pursuing STEM education and careers. Now in its second phase, @Scale II is focusing on two new goals of the statewide STEM Plan released by Lieutenant Governor Murray in 2010: improving STEM workforce development and increasing graduation rates of students in STEM college majors in Massachusetts.

“Following the release of the Commonwealth’s first statewide STEM Plan in 2010, the STEM Advisory Council is proactively working towards fulfilling critical goals to enhance and support STEM initiatives across the state,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “By expanding these five programs today, we are partnering with stakeholders in the public and private sectors to help more students and workers achieve opportunities in STEM education, jobs, and workforce development.”

Of the five programs announced today, Lieutenant Governor Murray provided a brief overview of the Broadening Advanced Technological Education Connections (BATEC) initiative, based out of the University of Massachusetts Boston, to help close the skills gap and fill Big Data and middle skills jobs within the Information Technology (IT) sector, a priority of the Patrick-Murray Administration. Receiving just over $89,000 in state funding through the STEM Pipeline Fund, the BATEC proposal is also receiving $275,000 through the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), in-kind donations, and from Massachusetts-based companies including EMC Corporation, IBM, and Oracle to expand this IT initiative to community colleges.

As a result of this partnership, BATEC will start working with Bunker Hill Community College and plans to soon scale up to three other community colleges to address workforce gaps specifically within data and analytics. Through targeted training and education programs, this initiative will assist current students as well as displaced and/or incumbent workers with a Fast Track Certificate Program in Data Management beginning in the fall of 2013.

"Talent is the number one issue our companies are facing when it comes to growth. MassTLC is excited to be partnering with BATEC on this grant and other important initiatives that will help the next generation of workers understand and prepare for the skills that will provide them meaningful jobs in the dynamic, accelerating Big Data sector," said Tom Hopcroft, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC).

The four additional programs that will expand as a result of @Scale II include:

ABLE 4 STEM: ABLE 4 STEM will develop pathways in engineering and biology for implementation across the University of Massachusetts statewide system and the state’s Community College system to help double the number of STEM degrees awarded to underrepresented minority students at both associated and bachelor’s degree levels over a 4 year period. Also, a weeklong summer enrichment program will support 25 students between the first and second years of STEM major studies at the community college through introductory course lectures and team research projects, reinforcing retention and readiness for progression to baccalaureate programs.

STEM Power Network: Currently based out of the Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board (WIB), the STEM Power Network will now expand with the goal of reaching all 16 WIBS across the state. As a result of this initiative, a multi-regional STEM pathway will be developed to reach more career centers and employers statewide to support training in STEM related fields including: health care, advanced manufacturing, IT, biotechnology and life sciences, clean energy and sustainability, and financial services.

Western Regional Partnership: Forecasted retirements of production and assembly workers are expected to produce 400 advanced manufacturing job vacancies in the Berkshire and Pioneer Valley’s advanced manufacturing companies in the next three years. The Career Vocational Technical Education STEM Western Regional Partnership made up of four regional vocational technical high schools (McCann, Putnam, Franklin and Westfield) and three community colleges (Berkshire, Springfield and Greenfield) – will (1) recruit and prepare youth ages 18-24 for careers in advanced manufacturing sectors; (2) increase the percentage of associate’s and bachelor’s degree recipients in STEM-related advanced manufacturing programs; (3) attract more students, especially those from low-income and underrepresented groups, into STEM; and (4) enhance teacher professional development through cross-training and peer training in STEM areas linked to advanced manufacturing.

STEM Pathways Project: Through the addition of Supplemental Instruction, tutoring and expanded internship opportunities, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will build upon its already successful STEM Pathways Project to further increase both enrollments in STEM majors (23% 2008-2012) and the number of students graduating with a degree in STEM fields (49% 2008-2012). Based upon the success of this initiative at MCLA, this campus will convene leaders from across the nine state universities to promote MCLA’s successful practices and to learn from initiatives at other campuses with the goal to inform the development of a system-wide best-practice retention and graduation rate program, improving student outcomes in STEM majors across the Commonwealth.

"These @SCALE funds will benefit students majoring in STEM at all Massachusetts Community Colleges by increasing their success in Associate's degree completion and will also connect them with a STEM bachelor’s degree program at a UMass campus if they choose to pursue that pathway," said John Cunningham, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and International Relations, at the University of Massachusetts System Office, about the ABLE 4 STEM project.

“Now more than ever in my life in the plastics industry, it’s my firm belief that we need premier schools like McCann to train a work force that is greatly needed," said Don Rochelo, owner, COO/Chairman/Apex Resource Technologies, Inc., about the Western Regional Partnership project. "We missed an entire generation of workers being trained due to the misconception that manufacturing was dead in the U.S. when in fact, we don’t have enough people to do the work. Please provide the investment in our industries future and that of the fine young men and woman being trained by fully supporting McCaan pursuit of this grant. ”

"We know that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are among the keys to our competitive advantage both here in the Berkshires, and across the Commonwealth," said Mary K. Grant, Ph.D., President of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), about the STEM Pathways project. "The Berkshire STEM Pipeline is doing important work in partnership with the Berkshire Compact for Education to engage K-12 students with programs that will inspire creativity and critical thinking and deepen connections to STEM subjects."

Since 2011, the STEM Advisory Council and business community have also worked with projects in Phase I of @Scale to achieve two other goals, quantitative gains in student interest and readiness. The seven Phase I @Scale projects are: Quinsigamond Community College's (QCC) Advanced Robotics Program; Mass Insight Education's Math + Science Initiative; DIGITS Project; WPI's Project Lead the Way; MassBioEd Foundation's BioTeach; Massasoit Community College's Science Transfer Initiative; and the Museum of Science’s Gateway Project. With both state and private sector funding, Phase I @Scale projects will reach at least 150 teachers and 8,270 students across the state.

"The @Scale initiative is building momentum. The seven phase 1 projects selected for impact on student interest and readiness for STEM majors are now in implementation, benefitting students and educators across the Commonwealth," said David Cedrone, Associate Commissioner for Economic and Workforce Development and STEM. "These five new phase II projects address our goals to increase college graduation rates in STEM majors and address high impact workforce development needs. And early in the new year we will select projects that impact student achievement in math and science and student interest in early education and after-school, completing the @Scale portfolio."

Governor’s STEM Advisory Council

On October 14, 2009 Governor Patrick signed an Executive Order creating the Governor's STEM Advisory Council. As Chair of the STEM Advisory Council, Lieutenant Governor Murray released the state’s first STEM plan at the STEM Summit in 2010, tying economic development to educational enhancement in STEM fields. The plan established targeted goals and benchmarks to promote STEM education, jobs, and workforce development as part of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s STEM Initiative.

The Council serves as a vehicle for STEM advocates from the public and private sectors, as well as legislators and educators, to engage in meaningful collaboration with the Governor and Lieutenant Governor’s Office, the Executive Office of Education and their agencies, the Department of Higher Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Department of Early Education and Care, the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, and the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

To read the STEM Plan or learn more about the Patrick-Murray Administration’s STEM Initiatives and the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, visit www.mass.gov/governor/stem.

BOSTON – Thursday, December 13, 2012 – Continuing his efforts to recruit top talent to state government, Governor Deval Patrick today announced the appointment of four highly-regarded leaders from the worlds of finance, education, health care and public safety to positions in his Cabinet. The Governor also commended outgoing Secretaries Jay Gonzalez, Paul Reville, JudyAnn Bigby and Marybeth Heffernan for helping achieve key Patrick-Murray Administration priorities: economic growth and prosperity; responsible fiscal management and government innovation; closing the achievement gap and community college reform; expanding access to affordable, quality health care; and building stronger, safer neighborhoods.

“Glen, Matt, John, and Andrea are the real deal. They come to their new positions with the expertise, the talent, the respect and the vision to achieve our bold agenda over the next two years,” said Governor Patrick. “Time is of the essence, and I have a team of leaders to take on the challenges and seize the opportunities we all know are on the horizon.”

“Jay, Paul, Judy and Marybeth were instrumental in achieving the cornerstones of an agenda that is making a difference,” said Governor Patrick. “This is bittersweet for me because in addition to being my wise advisors, they are my friends. I will miss them and I am proud of them. On behalf of the public we all serve, I thank each for their expertise, their dedication and their keen understanding that policy only matters at the point where it touches people.”

"The Cabinet has helped to execute a strong and effective agenda over the last six years, and we plan to build upon that great work to support long-term sustainability across the Commonwealth," said Lieutenant Governor Murray, who joined the Governor and Cabinet Secretaries at a State House press conference today. "We thank each secretary for their dedication and commitment to serving our Commonwealth, and we look forward to further tackling an ambitious agenda that includes jobs, infrastructure, innovation, and education."

Glen Shor will replace Jay Gonzalez as Secretary of Administration and Finance. Shor, a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, currently serves as the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, the state's official public health insurance exchange. Gonzalez has been a senior member of the Patrick-Murray Administration since January, 2007 and has been responsible for not only the state budget but also key initiatives in health care and reforming the way state government does business. (Please see full bios of all Secretaries below.) Jean Yang, the current Chief Financial Officer at the Health Care Connector, will replace Shor in January.

Matt Malone will replace Paul Reville as Secretary of Education. Malone, who holds a master’s degree and PhD from Boston College, is currently the Superintendent of the Brockton School System. A passionate advocate for closing the achievement gap, he led turnaround efforts in Boston and San Diego. Reville, the Commonwealth’s first Education Secretary, successfully integrated the state’s education agencies and led the Governor’s efforts to pass the most comprehensive education reform law in twenty years. Reville will return to the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

John Polanowicz John Polanowicz will replace JudyAnn Bigby as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Polanowicz serves currently as the President and CEO of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Prior to that, the West Point graduate and Stanford MBA served for eight years as the President of Marlborough Hospital. Dr. Bigby has led the largest agency in state government for the past six years and is universally regarded as a tireless advocate for those who often have no one to advocate for them.

Sheriff Andrea CabralSheriff Andrea Cabral will replace Marybeth Heffernan as Secretary of Public Safety and Security. In ten years as Suffolk County Sheriff, Cabral has been lauded for reforming prisoner reentry programs and modernizing the county’s correctional facilities. A graduate of Boston College and Suffolk Law, Cabral is also the first woman in the Commonwealth’s history to serve as Sheriff. Heffernan leaves the administration after six years as Undersecretary and Secretary. She helped secure passage of long-sought reforms to the Criminal Offender Record Information System and led the administration’s efforts to reform the Probation Department.

These transitions will take place next month as the Patrick-Murray Administration prepares for the beginning of the 2013-2014 legislative session.

Glen Shor brings proven fiscal management to the Executive Office of Administration & Finance at a time when uncertainties stemming from the fiscal cliff and a slower-than-expected economic recovery are creating budget challenges for the Commonwealth. He spent the last two-and-a-half years as the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, the state's official public health insurance exchange. Shor has overseen the successful re-procurement of the Commonwealth Care program for low-to-moderate income adults, leveraging a 12 percent decrease in rates over two years while maintaining comprehensive, affordable coverage for members. Shor served as a key member of the team that crafted the Commonwealth’s health care cost-containment law the Governor signed in August 2012. Previously, Shor served as an Assistant Secretary for Health Care Policy and Deputy General Counsel within the Executive Office of Administration and Finance. There he played a critical role in overseeing the early policy decisions of the Health Connector and the financing of health care reform. Before serving in the Patrick-Murray Administration, Shor was a senior policy director and Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts, a senior policy aide and counsel to former U.S. Representative Martin T. Meehan and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, and a public interest attorney defending the constitutionality of our nation's campaign finance laws in U.S. Supreme Court litigation. Secretary Shor is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School. Shor currently resides in Needham with his wife Ellen and daughter Lila.

Matthew Malone assumes the role of Secretary of Education after serving as Brockton Superintendent of Schools since 2009. He brings real-world experience managing the fourth largest school district in the state and a keen understanding of the challenges facing Gateway City schools to his new role. He previously served as Superintendent of Schools in Swampscott for four years. Malone will employ a passion for improving urban education and a keen understanding of the value of educating the whole child – from early education through higher education. He has been credited with turning around failing public schools as a headmaster in Boston and as a special assistant to the Superintendent in San Diego, California. His career began as a paraprofessional and substitute teacher in the Boston public schools in 1993. He holds a doctorate degree from Boston College and currently resides in Roslindale. He is the parent of two public school students.

John Polanowicz brings equal parts management experience and understanding of the important missions of the Executive Branch’s largest secretariat – serving the most vulnerable, providing strong industry oversight and consumer protection and innovating to reduce costs and deliver services efficiently – to his new position. He has served as President of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton since 2011, overseeing the largest Steward hospital with 272 beds and approximately 2,000 employees. He brings expertise in running a high-quality community health care system under an accountable care organization. Polanowicz joined St. Elizabeth’s from Marlborough Hospital, where he served as president and chief executive officer for eight years. While at Marlborough Hospital, Polanowicz bolstered patient care by establishing new service lines, building relationships with physician groups and investing in emerging technologies. He also led a financial turnaround that resulted in five straight years of positive financial results. Polanowicz has previously served as vice president of operations at UMass Memorial Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Polanowicz is a former Company Commander in the US Army. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a MBA from Stanford University. Polanowicz resides in Northborough.

Andrea Cabral is an unrivaled leader in the field of public safety, and joins the Patrick-Murray Administration as we plan to revisit comprehensive sentencing and re-entry reforms in the next legislative session. As the first female in the Commonwealth’s history to hold the position of Sheriff of Suffolk County, she brings an extensive background in criminal justice and public safety to the Patrick-Murray Administration. In her ten-year tenure in the Sheriff’s Office, Cabral has been responsible for the operation of the House of Correction, the Suffolk County Jail and the Civil Process Division. Cabral’s 26-year career in public service includes her role as Chief of the Domestic Violence Unit and Chief of District Courts and Community Prosecutions at the Suffolk District Attorney's Office. She served as Assistant District Attorney for 13-years and an Assistant Attorney General for 3-years. She is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.

Greg Bialecki, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development

Secretary Bialecki will continue as the Governor's point person on growing economic and housing opportunities through a strategy that emphasizes commercial and industrial innovation. He has been the architect of the Administration's Growth Districts Initiative, overseen the implementation of the Life Sciences Initiative and the Massachusetts Opportunity Relocation & Expansion (MORE) Jobs capital program and helped cut health care costs for small businesses and individuals through the Division of Insurance. Secretary Bialecki has overseen reforms of the Economic Development Incentive Program, adding clawbacks and tighter focus to tax credits for growing companies, and the Emergency Assistance housing program, which maintains a strong safety net for families while prioritizing homelessness prevention and permanent solutions. Through trade missions with Governor Patrick, Secretary Bialecki has expanded Massachusetts’ position as a world leader in the innovation economy. Locally, targeted investments through the MassWorks program are creating opportunities for economic expansion in communities across the Commonwealth. Moving forward, the Commonwealth’s long-term economic development plan, which was created by a council of advisors led by Secretary Bialecki, outlines strategies to continue to expand economic development and job creation opportunities.

Secretary Davey has been responsible for the day-to-day management of the transportation organization created by the Transportation Reform legislation signed by Governor Patrick in June 2009. MassDOT began operation on November 1, 2009, governed by a five-person Board of Directors appointed by the Governor and including four divisions – Highway, Rail & Transit, Aeronautics and the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Since becoming Secretary, Davey has been engaged in a public outreach effort to help determine the future of transportation in the Commonwealth. Under his leadership the Commonwealth has been continuously recognized nationally for its Accelerated Bridge Program and Fast 14 bridge project. Prior to his current appointment, Secretary Davey served as MBTA General Manager and MassDOT Rail & Transit Administrator, where he was responsible for managing the MBTA and overseeing the Commonwealth's 15 Regional Transit Authorities and MassDOT's rail program. With his energetic leadership style, he was able to implement sustainable and impactful initiatives that improved operations and safety, strengthened customer service, and changed the culture within the MBTA.

Joanne Goldstein, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development

Secretary Goldstein will continue to address the workforce development needs of businesses and employers as well as provide labor protections for workers around fair wages and safe working conditions. She will remain as chair of the Governor’s Joint Task Force on the Underground Economy and Employee Misclassification. Secretary Goldstein chaired the Municipal Unemployment Insurance Task Force which recently issued its report and recommendations which was received by stakeholders with support and approval. For her entire career as a labor attorney and public servant, she has advocated tirelessly to promote the rights of workers to good jobs, living wages and safe workplaces and to insure that legitimate businesses have a level playing field.

Rick Sullivan, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Secretary Sullivan will continue his charge of overseeing one of the most significant clean and alternative energy agendas of any state in America. His assignments include implementation of the Governor's solar, wind, and biofuel initiatives and enforcement of the state's environmental laws and regulations. Under Sullivan’s leadership, the clean energy sector in Massachusetts has defied national employment trends. In the last year alone, the industry has seen 11.2 percent job growth. He is also credited with overseeing Massachusetts’ energy efficiency initiatives, which have twice earned the Commonwealth the number one ranking in the nation in energy efficiency. Sullivan’s office includes the Department of Public Utilities, which has regulatory oversight of the Commonwealth’s utilities, and ensures the delivery of reliable and safe energy to citizens of the Commonwealth. Earlier this week the department issued unprecedented penalties against the electric utilities for their 2011 storm response. Sullivan is also charged with implementing some of the most ambitious environmental plans in the nation, including the Clean Energy and Climate Plan and the Global Warming Solutions Act. He has overseen the Administration’s unprecedented commitment to land conservation – not only protecting more than 100,000 acres of land, but also building over 350 parks in urban communities. Under his tenure, EEA is focusing urban park investments on the 24 Gateway Cities, understanding these quality of life improvements drive economic health. Sullivan previously managed the highly successful turnaround of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in the first term.

Jay Gonzalez has served as Secretary of Administration and Finance since October 2009, and he served as Undersecretary and Assistant Secretary for Capital Finance since January 2007. Secretary Gonzalez responsibly managed state finances through an unprecedented fiscal crisis, established new fiscal policies and secured passage of pension reform legislation. As a result of his work to improve state finances, the Commonwealth now has the highest credit ratings in state history. Secretary Gonzalez also played a key role in driving the Patrick-Murray Administration’s health care cost containment agenda as Chair of the Health Connector Authority, overseeing the Group Insurance Commission and helping to develop and secure passage of the municipal health reform and health care cost control legislation. Secretary Gonzalez has also been the Governor’s point person for driving change in government to improve services and lower costs. His government reform work includes: helping to develop and implement the transportation reform legislation; initiating the implementation of performance management throughout the Executive Branch; overseeing various shared services and consolidation initiatives; and developing the first social innovation financing program in the country.

Secretary Reville is a leading education reformer who served over four years as the Governor’s top advisor on education. He leaves the Administration to return to a faculty role at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was the first secretary named to the new post and successfully integrated the reorganized agencies to foster the Commonwealth’s world-class results in student achievement. Secretary Reville played a primary role in the drafting and passage of the Achievement Gap Act of 2010 – the most sweeping education legislation since the landmark Education Reform Act of 1993. He also led the Commonwealth’s Race to the Top efforts in K-12 and early childhood education that secured $300 million in federal funds to advance our school reform efforts. He also played a key role in the Administration’s efforts to establish the UMass School of Law and in the recent release of the Vision Project in higher education. Over the last year, Secretary Reville helped design and implement the Governor’s plan to create a more integrated, effective community college system responsive to both local and statewide employer needs.

Dr. Bigby, a primary care physician and health policy expert, is the Governor’s longest serving cabinet Secretary. Since her appointment in 2007, Secretary Bigby successfully implemented the Commonwealth's landmark health care reform law that has insured 98 percent of residents, and became a model for President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. This year, she secured passage of historic legislation to lower the cost of health care for working families and small businesses. Secretary Bigby launched the Massachusetts Health Information Exchange, allowing health care providers across the state to share electronic patient health data. She has advanced programs that provide nation-leading benefits for our veterans, and increased access to services for children, youth and families. Secretary Bigby helped open the state-of-the-art Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, providing revolutionary care for hundreds of mental health patients. She also adopted the state's Community First initiative to address the long term needs of elders and persons with disabilities in community settings.

Secretary Heffernan played a critical role in the Administration’s crime prevention, criminal justice system reforms, homeland security preparedness, emergency and disaster response efforts in the Commonwealth. She was instrumental in securing the passage of reforms to the Criminal Offender Record Information system, and led the Governor's charge to reform the Commonwealth's sentencing reform laws, which had not been addressed for decades. She balanced essential public safety priorities during difficult fiscal times, advocating for efficiencies in the criminal justice system, and led the Governor's effort to reform the Probation Department by merging it with Parole to improve the supervision of offenders in our communities. Heffernan was a strong anti-gang and anti-youth violence advocate, working across Secretariats to implement the Governor's Safe and Successful Youth Initiative. Her secretariat annually secured millions in federal funding to support critical homeland security infrastructure and effectively managed unprecedented responses to ice and storm events, flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters.

Supportive Statements

"Glen Shor is a terrific choice for Secretary of Administration and Finance. I have tremendous respect for his leadership, and look forward to working with him in his new post,” said former Health Connector Board member Richard Lord, President and CEO of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Inc.

“Governor Patrick could not have chosen a more qualified individual for this important position than Matthew Malone. I had the privilege of working closely with Matthew on the restructuring and renewal of the Catholic school systems in Brockton and Dorchester, and his passion and collaborative approach to addressing today’s educational challenges made a positive and lasting impact on the entire team, as well as the faculty, staff, students, and parents. I am confident that his vision, leadership, and focus on results will position our Commonwealth’s school system for success today and for future generations,” said John Fish, Chairman and CEO, Suffolk Construction.

"We congratulate Matt Malone on his appointment and look forward to a productive and collaborative relationship during his time as secretary of education. Matt has public education in his bones, and he understands the needs of our students. In addition to a strong leadership background, he brings a wealth of first-hand classroom experience to his new position. As an urban superintendent, he truly understands the issues we face -- helping all students succeed, narrowing the achievement gap, helping our communities overcome the problems related to poverty, and creating opportunities for every child," said Paul Toner, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

“Jay has done a terrific job as Secretary of Administration and Finance, helping to manage the Commonwealth’s finances through an unprecedented fiscal crisis. He has been the point person for the administration on several critical and difficult issues like municipal health reform and healthcare cost containment legislation. Jay’s leadership has helped the Commonwealth achieve the highest credit ratings in state history. He will be truly missed,” said Michael Widmer, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

“Paul Reville has had an extraordinarily productive tenure as Secretary of Education, which includes stellar leadership on landmark education reform legislation, the successful quest for Race To The Top funding, and most recently sweeping reform of the community college system. Paul has been an important friend to students who need extra help or extra time and has been unwavering in his belief that all children can be successful. All citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, particularly those in the inner cities, should be grateful for his contributions,” said Paul Grogan, President of The Boston Foundation.

“Secretary Reville has been a great supporter of our efforts to reform and improve our schools. Paul’s leadership was instrumental in creating the 2010 education reform law that allowed districts like ours to open innovation schools and in-district charters. The students of Boston are fortunate to have had him as their advocate on Beacon Hill,” said Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools.

“Secretary Bigby has been a friend of mine for a long time. She is great physician and even better person. She is a fighter for vital issues like health care access and equality, and I wish her the best in the next chapter of her career,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

“Community health centers applaud Dr. JudyAnn Bigby’s service as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Dr. Bigby’s leadership in ensuring access to quality, community-based health care for all Massachusetts’ residents, as well as her efforts to advance health information technology and reduce system-wide health costs have made Massachusetts a model for the nation,” said James W. Hunt, Jr., President and CEO, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.

“Marybeth Heffernan has done an outstanding job as Secretary of Public Safety. Her leadership in times of crisis and her management of the state’s response efforts helped protect our communities and quickly address critical recovery needs. As Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, I have maintained a close working relationship with the Secretary and hold her expertise and professionalism in the highest regard. I wish her the best in her future endeavors”, said Senator Jim Timilty.

“Marybeth Heffernan will be sorely missed. A dedicated and tireless worker, Marybeth has been a good law enforcement partner during her three years as Secretary of Public Safety. I wish her well as she embarks on a new chapter in her life,” said Ed Davis, Boston Police Commissioner.

GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JOIN THE NATIONAL GUARD TO CELEBRATE ITS 376TH BIRTHDAY AND GRAND OPENING OF NEW MASSACHUSETTS HEADQUARTERS

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE – Thursday, December 13, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray joined General Frank J. Grass, Chief of the National Guard Bureau and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Major General L. Scott Rice, the Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard (MANG) to celebrate the 376th birthday of the National Guard and the grand opening of the Massachusetts National Guard headquarters at Hanscom Air Force Base.

“Hanscom is a valued partner of the Commonwealth. The base boosts the local economy and creates jobs,” said Governor Patrick. “The impressive new Joint Force Headquarters creates a permanent headquarters to better support the base’s dual military mission. Massachusetts military bases are vital to fueling our innovation-based economy and will continue to have this Administration’s support.”

“As we celebrate the National Guard’s 376th birthday, we also celebrate a new beginning in the Commonwealth for the Massachusetts National Guard, Hanscom Air Force Base, and surrounding communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “This partnership will strengthen the Guard’s presence, our military security, and resources for our servicemen and women.”

“The opening of this facility is one example of the critical investments America has made in our National Guard,” said General Frank J. Grass. “Today’s Guard is the best trained, equipped and led force since its inception - 376 years ago today.”

The new headquarters has been operational since Nov. 5 and was built to be a state-of-the-art facility – where the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Military Division and Massachusetts National Guard, as a community-based - operational force will continue its mission to train as a joint warfighting force.

The new headquarters will lead by example and maximize green technologies, ergonomic design, and internal and external communication technologies to sustain the highest organizational effectiveness and efficiency. During construction, more than 250 jobs were created to build and design this structure, and it will support the Massachusetts Guard’s effort to add 150 new jobs to our state-wide end-strength in 2013.

With Governor Patrick’s support, Lieutenant Governor Murray issued an Executive Order in February 2012 establishing the Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force to formally bring together public and private partners to support the state’s military bases, including Hanscom Air Force Base.

The newly constructed MANG Joint Force Headquarters at Hanscom solidifies a strategic partnership with the United States Air Force that provides improved physical and data security, superior bandwidth, and an appropriate military infrastructure that strengthens the MANG’s state and federal mission readiness to the benefit of the people of Massachusetts and the Nation. According to the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute, Hanscom Air Force Base includes more than 18,000 direct and indirect jobs with an economic impact greater than $8.4 billion. Now, with the presence of the Joint Force Headquarters at Hanscom Air Force Base, the new headquarters will add significantly to Hanscom’s civic life and economic vitality across the region.

“The new Joint Force Headquarters of the Massachusetts National Guard at Hanscom Air Force is an excellent model for how local, state, and federal governments can work together to enhance our military assets, improve our local economy, and support the National Guard’s missions,” said Congressman Ed Markey, Dean of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation. “This complex will provide our soldiers and airman with the first class facilities that they so richly deserve. I commend Governor Deval Patrick and Major General Scott Rice for their dedication to this vital project for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

"After the Guard’s 376 years protecting us, this top-notch facility at of one of Massachusetts’ strategic and celebrated bases is a boost to our emergency response efforts and our security,” said Senator John Kerry. “I’m really proud that Massachusetts continues to lead the way, and I’m grateful to Governor Patrick and our military leaders for helping to make this happen.”

“It is only appropriate that the new headquarters of the Massachusetts National Guard be built alongside the Battle Road between Lexington and Concord where the original Minutemen fought to secure the rights and freedoms we enjoy today,” said Senator Scott Brown. “This state-of-the-art facility will ensure that our modern day Citizen Soldiers and Airmen will be well poised to contend with the threats, man-made and natural, that our Commonwealth and Nation can expect to face in the 21st century. The service members we send into harm’s way deserve the very best we can give them, and this new headquarters certainly meets that standard.”

“It is with great pleasure that I officially welcome the new Joint Force Headquarters to Hanscom Air Force Base today, said Congressman John Tierney, who represents some of the communities that surround Hanscom. “This new location strengthens Hanscom, our community, and our National Guard. The men and women in the Massachusetts National Guard will now be even better suited to serve our state and country, with this strategic location, and the stellar support and infrastructure Hanscom Air Force Base offers.”

“Massachusetts continues to lead the way with some of America’s most innovative military resources and the new National Guard headquarters at Hanscom is no exception,” said Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. “With the new location come new capabilities, including state-of-the-art technology, green initiatives and more efficient emergency response. It joins an impressive array of facilities already at Hanscom that are developing cutting-edge technology and paving the way for the future of our military. Congratulations to the Massachusetts National Guard and happy birthday.”

Three hundred and seventy six years ago on December 13, 1636, the Massachusetts National Guard was founded as the Massachusetts Bay Colonial Militia, when town militia companies were organized into three permanent militia regiments. Ever since, the Massachusetts National Guard has provided a trained and ready operational force, serving the community, the commonwealth and the nation.

GOVERNOR PATRICK MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA TIGRAN SARGSYAN

Armenian Prime Minister Sargsyan presents Governor Patrick with the medal of "Mkhitar Gosh," which is awarded for considerable state and political-social activity, as well as significant services in diplomacy, law and political science. (Photo Credit: Eric Haynes / Governor's Office) View additionalphotos.

BOSTON – Wednesday, December 12, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today welcomed Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan to the Massachusetts State House. Prime Minister Sargsyan’s visit to Massachusetts served as an opportunity to foster Massachusetts’ global image in education and innovation and to recognize and celebrate the Armenian-American population in the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts is home to approximately 33,095 Armenian-American residents, with Watertown having the third largest Armenian community in the nation, according to 2010 data.

This visit was part of a growing economic relationship between Massachusetts and Armenia. In May, Governor Patrick welcomed a delegation of Armenian officials to Massachusetts for a ceremonial opening of the Armenian Heritage Park. Members of the delegation included Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, Minister of the Diaspora Ms. Hranush Hakobyan and Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the US Mr. Tatoul Markarian.

Governor Patrick has prioritized advancing Massachusetts’ relationships around the world in order to compete in the 21st century global economy. In addition to his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Sargsyan, Governor Patrick yesterday met with Hungarian Ambassador to the United States Gyorgy Szapary to discuss economic collaboration between Hungary and Massachusetts. He has previously led delegations of business, academic and government leaders to Chile, Israel, the United Kingdom, and China to secure new economic development opportunities for the Commonwealth.